Fishers Island Strategic Plan 2007-2017 by Fishers Island, NY

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Town

ofSouthold, New October 2007

York

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007- 2017

Prepared

for:

Fishers Island Town of South old P. O. Box 1179

53095 State Road 25

Southold, NY 11971 631) 765- 1800

Written

Valerie M. VMS

by: Scopaz,

Planning

AICP

Services

P. O. Box 1655

Southold, NY 11971 631 765- 5552

vrnsplan inga( l,optonline. net

RECEIVED

OCT 3 0 2007 South old ToYlll Clert

September

2007

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

FISHERS ISLAND STRATEGIC PLAN 2007 - 2017

TABLE OF CONTENTS

i EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................

INTRODUCTION

Study

Area... ....................................... .......................... ........

General

Planning

and Political

I Context........................... .................. 2

Project Purpose....................................... ................. ....... ....... Plan Development and Public Participation........................ ............... Acknowledgements... .................. ............ ..... .................................. Reader' 2

Guide............... ......... .................... .................................

3 4

METHODOLOGY, ISSUES & ANALYSIS

Methodology... .................................... .................... ............... Expectations...................................................... ..... ................ Key Issues of Concern... ...... ................................. ..................... Assessment ofIsland Strengths............ ......... ............................... Assessment of Potential Solutions and Strategies................. .............. Information Needs............ ......................................... ..............

Independent 3

Observations &

Analysis.............................. .............

Goals and

Objectives

in Public

Policy...................

Objectives......... .......................................................

4 4 5

I 2

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

Strategies............ ...... ......... ......... ....................... ....................

INVENTORY Introduction... ........................................................... ............

Planning

Framework................................. ............ ..... ..............

I I

The Fishers Island Growth Plan............... ........................

Master Plan

Update - Background Studies: 1984................. Zoning Zoning Map: 1989................................. Water Supply/ Watershed Study: 1994.............................. Local Waterfront Revitalization Program............................... Comprehensive Implementation Strategy: 2003...... ........... Hamlet Study: 2005...................................................

3 4

5 6 7

Table

I Statement.............................. ....................... ................

Vision

VISION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Role of Vision, Goals and

I 2

of Contents

Code and

5 6 7

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan: 8

2007-2017

Island Institute: 2003-

7....................... ......... ................

14 Conclusions.................. ............................... IS Resources............................................... ................ 16 I Harbor Management Committee............................................ 16 Historical Context............................................. ..................

Planning

Natural

Founding

Post

Structures & Sites of Historic

Days.......................................................... World War II .....................................................

Parade

Importance.......................... 19

Grounds..........................................................

20 Management Structure......................................... ................. 26 I Intergovernmental relations.......................... ................ 2

27 government.................... .................

Alternative forms of

Development

Patterns &

Constraints... ............ .......................... 28

West End.................................................................

East End........................... ......................................

Water

Wastewater

29 30

Public Services &

Facilities.................................... ................

Supply.......................................................... Facilities..................................................

Electric................................................. ..................

31 32

33 Telephone............................................... ................ 33 Emergency Management........................................................

Other......... ......... ...... ............ .................................

33 Zoning........................................................... .................. I. Zoning 34 Patterns....................................................................... 36 2. Uses permitted within business districts................................ 40 Development Potential......... ............ .....................................

Land Preservation............................................... ................

....................42 I Census Demographics................................................ Data & Analysis.............................. .................44 2 School Population... ............... ..................................... School 45

Services................................................ .................. Social Services............................................... .....................

46 Existing Senior Services.............................. ................. 46 Senior Proposed Services........................ ...................... 3 46 Proposed Youth Bureau................................................ 46 Housing...................................................... ...................... I 47 Affordable Housing Overview.................. ...................... 49 2 Housing services... ...... ......... ...................................... I

Section

Horne

Moderate

8......................................................................

Proposed. Accessory

Permanent affordable

49 Improvement.....................................................

Housing...................................................... 50

Services........................................................... 51

apartments................................ ...................

housing.................. Services......................................... .............................................54

Community Transportation............................................... ........................

Table

of Contents

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan: 2007-2017 1

Roads............................................... .........................

Ferry.................................................. .....................

Airfield............................................... ......................

Economy..................................................... ........................

Information & Communications......... ............ .............................

1 Centralized Information Collection &

2 6

Geographic

Information

60 Management..................

System........................................

BIBLIOGRAPHY & SOURCES

Bibliography......................................................... ..................

Sources...... ............ ...... ......... ............ ............ ........ .................

APPENDIX A. Minutes of Stakeholder

Meetings........................................................ 7 Questionnaires ..................................................................................... C. Written Responses to Questionnaires

REFERENCE BINDER A.

Reach 10, Town of Southold Local Waterfront Revitalization

Fishers Island Harbor

Program

Management Plan Town Code, Chapter 157 Harbor Management Emergency Management Plan

U. S. Census Data: 2000

Utility Company' s Letter to Public Service Commission Island Housing Inventory: 2007 Preliminary Housing Report to School Board, 2002 Town of Southold Affordable Housing Programs - Policies and Procedures, July 2006 North Fork Housing Alliance, Section 8 Application and Income

Town of Southold Affordable

Fitness Trail

M. N.

Fishers Island Ferry District Leases: 2006 State University of New York Economic Development Brochure

Island

Landmark Preservation

Island Administrator Job

G. H. I.

Guidelines.

Housing District Legislation

Inventory of Businesses:

2007

Application Process: Description

Parade Grounds

MAPS

All maps are contained within this report except for located within the Reference Binder.) 1- 1

2- 1 2- 2 2- 3

Table

Map

2- 10 Sewer Network, which is

Study Area Zoning before 1989 Zoning in 1989 Zoning in 2006

of Contents

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

2- 4

Areas of Special Concern - LWRP

2- 5

Wetlands

2- 6

SPLIA

2- 7

Inventory Proposed Boundary: Parade

2- 8

Land Use

2- 9

Water

2- 10

Sewer Network

Grounds Historic District

Supply

2- 11

Community Facilities

2- 12

Buildable & Subdividable Land

2- 13

Protected Lands

2- 14

Community

2- 15

Table

Preservation

Program Plan Map Business- zoned properties and structures.

Contents

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In 2004,

sequel

adopting

its

Comprehensive Implementation Strategy, the Town of during which residents were asked to create micro- templates for land use and other public policy or administrative decisions within their respective hamlet centers. However, the template for these studies did not fit the particular circumstances of Fishers Island. Unlike other Southold hamlets which were struggling with problems related to population growth and new development, Fishers Island was fearful of further declines in its already small year- round population; to name just one of the issues of concern. Its geographic distance and isolation from the rest of the Town coupled with its closer physical proximity to Connecticut meant the business of government ( as well as living) was somewhat awkward and complicated. Although the Islanders' had assumed an enormous degree of responsibility for protecting and enhancing their own public health, safety and welfare, some issues required a more cohesive leveraging of public as well as private resources. A different template was as a

Southold initiated

series of hamlet studies

needed.

The Political Planninl!: & Context the several and funded Through years, public privatelyplanning studies articulated a vision for the Island' s future. But, with the exception of the Local Waterfront

Revitalization

contained

specific strategies for achieving it. In 2002- 3, Island residents asked The Island Institute of Maine for help in addressing socioeconomic issues peculiar to small island communities. The Institute provided assistance in restructuring the Island' s ad- hoc form of self-government: a necessity given its geographic isolation from the rest of the Town. These efforts led to the creation of the Fishers Island Community Board ( FICB), which subsequently established an Island Office, a non- profit newspaper, and a schedule of Island activities: all of which has resulted in improved intra-island communications. The FICB was also charged with two other tasks: to articulate and priority community goals; and undertake and support efforts necessary to achieve those goals. Program,

none

Document Purpose The purpose of this document is to articulate the community' s goals and objectives, thereby setting the stage for the FICB to chart Fishers Island' s course for the next decade. The Fishers Island Strategic Plan 2007- 2017 is the end product of a consensus- building and planning process that started during the summer of 2006 and ended in the fall of 2007. The Plan' s scope goes beyond the boundaries of the hamlet' s business centers to

include the entire Island. As noted earlier, this of the Island' s unique history, pattern of land

change in template was justified because use development and physical isolation

from the rest of Southold Town. Proiect

Desil!ll : &

Methodolol!V :

Active

input by the Island community was solicited, first by appointing Stakeholders representing a broad spectrum of the Island community. Although appointed by the Southold Town Board, they were given free rein to shape the content and direction of this document.

Executive

Summary

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

The

building approach used to facilitate constructive dialogue and practical problem- solving enabled each Stakeholder to bring different perspectives to the table. The Stakeholders identified gaps in their understanding of the issues facing the community, which resulted in a search for a comprehensive database about the Island as well as the governmental agencies which influence Island life. The Stakeholders gathered raw data on housing and the economy. The consultant worked with various Town and Island personnel to collect and collate information for future access and use on consensus-

the Island.

The consultant and the Stakeholders conducted extensive interviews with representatives of key Island organizations, all of whom are acknowledged in Chapter 1. The second part of this exercise consisted of exhaustive conversations amongst the Stakeholders about Fishers Island' s future. Using the updated information, the Stakeholders made frank assessments ofthe problems facing the Island and worked hard to reach consensus about how best to categorize and solve those problems. The fruit of that

dialogue was encapsulated in a draft Vision Statement, and a clearly goals. The goals spanned ten separate, but interconnected, aspects of community life. Then, the Stakeholders developed a series of objectives for each goal. The objectives explained the specific outcomes the goal was intended to achieve. The idea was to define benchmarks that would help community leaders judge whether a future proposed action would actually bring them closer to achieving the intended goal. Finally, the Stakeholders identified specific implementation actions, some of which called for defined set of

further research and discussion. The Fishers Island

Community Board subsequently sponsored ( at its own expense) a series of public information and roundtable forums to enable the Stakeholders to engage the wider Island community in a dialogue, using the draft statement of vision, goals,

objectives and implementation strategies as a focal point. The resulting community input was used by the Stakeholders to revise and refine this document. Proiect Implementation: Next Steps This document is intended to be the basis of an organized, vibrant and under the

ongoing dialogue

of the FICB and with the cooperation of the Town) through the next decade. The loose- leaf binder format will facilitate its use as an expanding and evolving

aegis

compendium of factual

information,

well

as a

vital part of the Island'

institutional

memory.

This

exercise

Proiect Fundine funded principally by the Town of Southold. However,

planning being significant supplementary funding was

provided by the Fishers Island Community Board to underwrite consulting assistance during multiple Stakeholder meetings and four community information meetings.

Executive

Summary

was

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION

Fishers Island is

a unique place with an unusual history. It is populated by independentpeople, who have chosen the island way oflife and recognize its rarity in today' s world. The geographic isolation of island life poses challenges that are not for the timid or faint of heart. It should be no surprise that the island' s inhabitants are a resourceful, persistent lot, close to the American pioneering spirit.

minded

This report is the end product of a community planning exercise that took place over several months spanning the summer of 2006 and ending in the fall of 2007. The exercise was designed to address the specific concerns of the Fishers Island community as

they were articulated during this process.

While this report contains many elements of a standard land use plan, it is not a typical planning document. The title, Fishers Is/and Strategic Plan, reveals its intent: to lay a foundation for future achieve its

goals

As will be

community action,

a means

whereby

the Island

community

may

for its future.

explained below,

in the Readers Guide, the structure of this document is

intended to facilitate self-governance, whether through the channels of the existing town government or through the collective, voluntary actions of the island' s residents. As a

result, it is intended to be document than

repository

source

book, reference manual, and

strategic

for all the known information about Fishers Island.

The reader should pay close attention to the section below, entitled General Plannine and Political because it explains more fully the specific issues this planning Context.. exercise and report were designed to address. Study Area Fishers Island is

nearly five

square miles ( about 3, 200 acres) in size, and is the largest island within Southold Town. It is located about twelve miles northeast of Orient Point

and about four miles south of Connecticut.

Several smaller islands surround Fishers

Island: all uninhabited, except for North Dumpling, which contains shows the Study Area and its geographic location. Fishers Island has

complex history of managed growth.

both Southold Town and New London, Connecticut, has Residents of the Island

community. protective of it.

recognize

shaped

The

its

strategic planning exercise that informed this document was response to a request from the Islanders for a more complete enhance their

Map

I- I

Its size and location relative to

its social and natural

informational database with which to chart their future

residence.

course,

fiercely independent uniqueness, and are conducted in direct and

comprehensive

which aims to protect and

unique quality of life.

General Plannine & Political Context in 1984, the Islanders

sponsored a series of privately- funded planning studies which were used as visionary blueprints and strategic plans for community action. The first study was compiled in 1984, when the Fishers Island Civic Association contracted Beginning

Chapter

1: Introduction

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

with the Trust for Public Land to

assess

the Island'

capacity

accommodate future

growth. In 1988, another report, The Fishers Island Growth Plan, was written. It was subsequently updated in 1994. During the mid- to late 1980s, Fishers Island also participated in the Town-wide Master Plan Update, but the Update was not tailored to Fishers Island. The substance of these and other relevant planning policies and documents are discussed in further detail, in Chapter 5 Inventory. than

a decade after the 1994 Growth Plan update, the challenges facing similar, but different. The purpose of this strategic planning exercise was to re- examine these challenges and to help the Islanders chart a course for the next decade using the latest available data. The aforementioned studies had created a

Today,

Fishers Island

foundational

are

inventory

of the Island'

s resources,

but certain aspects of this database

were

in need of updating and enhancement.

Public information essential to Island government also needed to be made more accessible to Island residents. Traditionally, factual information about Fishers Island could be found both on the island and within Southold' s Town Hall. However, the

geographic distance between the Island and Town Hall, coupled with limitations of technology, were the primary reasons why neither the Island nor Town Hall had a complete, categorized set of essential information. Recent

technological advances in communications ( computers, e- mail and the Internet) coupled with improvements in data management ( specifically the development of a Geographic Information System ( GIS) for Southold Town and the implementation of Laserjiche,

electronic document storage and retrieval system, in the Town Clerk' s possibility of reversing some of these information and communication

Office) offered the gaps.

Project Purpose The Fishers Island

Strategic Plan: 2007- 2017 ( FISP 2007) is designed to rectify past deficiencies in the Town' s general and GIS databases about the Island. The FISP 2007 also is intended to provide a visionary focus for decisionmaking at the community and governmental levels, as well as a practical listing of actions or strategies whereby the community' s Vision could be realized. The format and content reflects the active input of the Island' s residents and its key stakeholder groups, who were represented by individuals selected and appointed by the Southold Town Board. Plan Development & Public Participation

This

developed as part of a collaborative process involving three separate groups of participants: the Islanders ( as represented by appointed Stakeholders), Town staff and the consultant. The Stakeholders were identified by Councilwoman Louisa Evans and appointed by the Southold Town Board. The Stakeholders were chosen with an eye towards bringing together a broad representation of the Island community. The composition of the Fishers Island Community Board served as a guide. Table I lists the plan

was

Stakeholders.

Chapter

I: Introduction

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Table 1:

Study Participants

Stakeholders: Heather

Ferguson Burnham

Peter Burr Ken Edwards

Meredith Harr Judi

1mbriglio Audrey Noyes

Ludemann

Sarah Malinowski William C.

Ridgway Sharp Charles Stepanek Pennie

The Plan

was

developed

over

the

The minutes of the Stakeholder

meetings

Town Justice Louisa Evans served

facilitating

assistance from Town Hall

discussions, she did not vote

the

course

was

of fifteen months are

included in

beginning in July of 2006. Chapter 7. Councilwoman and

Ex- officio observer and facilitator.

invaluable. While she

language and substance of this

participated

Her

help

in the Stakeholder

document.

Acknowledl!ements The research and

development of the FISP 2007, particularly the Inventory, would not have been possible without the assistance of Islanders who generously shared of their time and expertise. The following people met with the consultant and/or the Stakeholders in response to a specific invitation, requests for assistance, or by attending Stakeholder meetings as interested observers. A few called to offer expertise and other assistance. Table 2, below, lists these individuals in alphabetical order. Table 2:

Community Resources

Ann Banks, Librarian, Fishers Island

Library

Elbert Burr, Chairman, Fishers Island Harbor Committee Frank Burr, Chairman, Walsh Park Benevolent Park Corporation Peter Brinkerhoff, President, Board, Fishers Island Library Association

Tom

Doherty, Manager Fishers Island Ferry District Reynolds ( Chippy) du Pont, Jr. Chairman, Fishers Island Ferry District Lesile Goss Gruner, Fishers Island Harbor Committee

Sarah Malinowski, Stakeholder Steve Malinowski, Fishers Island

Oyster Farm Development Company Pierce Rafferty, Curator, Henry R. Ferguson Museum William Ridgway, Stakeholder Cynthia Riley, Program Director, Fishers Island Library Jeanne Schultz, Superintendent, Fishers Island School

Kathy

Parsons, President, Fishers Island

Penni John

Sharp, Stakeholder Spofford, President,

Fishers Island

Community

Board

Art Walsh, Member of the Fishers Island School Board Robert Wall, President, Fishers Island

Manager,

Chapter

1: Introduction

Utility Company,

Fishers Island

Development Company 3

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Town Elected Officials:

Darlene

Duffy, Tax Assessor

Councilwoman & Justice Louisa Evans, Ex- officio Elizabeth Neville, Town Clerk

Scott Russell,

Supervisor

Robert Scott, Tax Assessor Town Aooointed Officials

Kenneth Edwards, Jr.,Planning Board Town Staff:

Philip

Beltz,

Special Projects Coordinator Deputy Town Clerk

Linda Bohn, Assistant

Antonia Booth, Town Historian John Cushman,

Comptroller Cooper, Assistant Deputy Town Clerk Patricia Finnegan, Town Attorney Carol Kalin, Secretary, Planning Department Karen McLaughlin, Director, Human Resources Department James McMahon, Director, Public Works Department Stacey Norklun, Records Management Assistant Linda Randolph, Secretary, Planning Department Linda

Kenneth Reeves, Director, Recreation

Lloyd Reisenberg,

Network and

Department Systems Administrator

Robert Scott, Tax Assessor

John

Sepenoski, Technical Coordinator II Terry, Acting Director of Planning Anthony Trezza, Senior Planner Mark

Reader' s Guide As noted in the

beginning of this Chapter, the Fishers Island Strategic Plan designed to address the highly specific needs of Fishers Island' s residents at particular point in their history.

was

this

First and foremost, this document is

designed to be a vehicle for expressing the consensus viewpoints community as regards its future over the coming decade. Second, it attempts to set a series of benchmarks that define the specific policies, projects, and actions that will be needed in order for the Island community to protect and of the Fishers Island

enhance its way of life.

Methodology, Issues and Analysis contains a description of the primary issues of concern as voiced by the Stakeholders. It is followed by an overall analysis of the issues with reference to the facts collected and presented later, in Chapter 5 Inventory. Chapter 2 also contains observations on options the community might explore as well as the inherent problems the community faces in its attempt to achieve its vision for the Chapter

future.

Chapter

I: Introduction

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Chapter 3 Vision, Goals and Objectives reflects community consensus about its future. chapter is the heart of this document, the center from which all future actions must emanate. Understanding this chapter is essential for interpreting Chapter 4 Implementation Strategies, which lays out a highly specific, action- oriented schedule for use by the Island community. By design, this chapter also will be useful to officials in This

Town government.

Chapter

standing

detailed

This framework

commitment

human communities,

of past

planning studies that apply to understanding the longofthe Island community to protecting its unique environmental and as well as to understanding the ways in which Fishers Island is

Inventory provides

Fishers Island.

was

synopsis

felt to be essential to

similar to ( or different from) the rest of Southold Town. A considerable amount of natural was

documented in these

resource

and other information about Fishers Island

documents, and rather than

planning of these documents are incorporated

recount

that information,

into this one by reference, with one exception. Relevant sections and maps of the Town of Southo/d Local Waterfront Revitalization are in included Program Chapter 7 Appendix for the convenience of the reader. most

The Inventory also contains selected updates of other essential information, as dictated by the primary issues of concern to the Island community at this point in time. This information includes a wide range of topics including social, demographic, environmental, economic, historic, or

regulatory

public

infrastructure and other

public administrative

matters.

Chapter 6 Bibliography contains a list of various sources used in the preparation of this particular report. Chapter 7 Appendix contains specific material deemed essential to understanding the issues. Finally, some material has been placed into in a separate Reference Binder, which should be updated periodically as needed.

Finally,

it must be noted that most of the factual information contained in the

and Reference Binder

Connecticut

resources are

resources was

Chapter

pertain

beyond

Fishers Island

noted here, but

the scope of this

I: Introduction

comprehensive guide project. a

Inventory

the Town of Southold.

Some

to Connecticut-based

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007- 2017

CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY, ISSUES &

ANALYSIS

Chapter retraces the methodology and steps that were taken in order to develop this Strategic Plan, and identifies the expectations the Stakeholders had for this project. This chapter includes an articulation of issues of concern to the Islanders, as well as a frank assessment of Island strengths and the types of potential solutions that would be explored. This assessment included an inventory of information that would be needed to develop a

This

realistic strategy for the Island' s future. open to the Island the information available and the inherent constraints of Island life.

Lastly,

it contains

overall

analysis of the options

given

the issues,

and

September

Methodolol!V

The consultant met with the Stakeholders three times:

during July, August

The purpose of the meetings was twofold: to give the consultant first-hand into the primary issues of concern to the Fishers Island community, including

of 2006.

insight their expectations for

exercise; and second, to engage in a joint search for additional information that would be of use to all parties during this planning exercise. A synopsis of the issues of concern expressed at that point in time is provided later in this this

planning

chapter. The consultant spent the fall and winter months of 2006- 7 consolidating and collating relevant factual information about Fishers Island and preparing a draft statement of

Vision, Goals and

Objectives, along with a preliminary

list of Implementation

Strategies.

April through September of 2007, the Stakeholders worked diligently to refine the content and style of the draft document. Public information meetings were held in June, July, August and September of 2007, most of which were sponsored, funded and hosted by the Fishers Island Community Board under the direction of its Chairman, John Spofford, with assistance by Meredith Harr Doyen. From

during and after suggestions, and, in meetings. response, made several revisions to this document, particularly Chapters 3 and 4. Of necessity, some of the more detailed ideas contributed by Island residents were held aside with the intent of introducing them again during future discussions with the Island Community Board as part of the implementation of this Strategic Plan. A considerable amount of public

dialogue and written input

Finally, the wording of Chapters consensus

Chapter

was

received

The Stakeholders discussed all the comments and

these

and 4 in

particular represents

the

unanImous

of the Stakeholders.

Methodology, Issues

and Analysis

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Expectations The Stakeholders voiced A

synopsis

provided

wide range of expectations for this below. a

strategic planning

exercise.

strategic plan to protect the natural environment from further degradation, to existing environmental problems and to encourage land preservation. An inventory of factual information about the island, including, but not limited to: o Business properties and structures o Vacant building lots o Build- out potential o Demographic data and trends o Year- round housing A

redress

Environmental assessment

A consolidation of all Laser- fiche

existing information about Fishers Island, into the

Town' s

system.

A CD- ROM

containing all

scanned documents,

including maps, pertaining to

Fishers Island.

Kev Issues of Concern The Stakeholders also identified the following issues as being of primary concern to the Island. ( An asterisk * notes an issue that appears in more than one category.) Social: o

There is insufficient affordable

housing on the Island for year- round residents, but no one is sure how much housing is needed. A decision had been made to create a community center, but there was uncertainty as to the specific needs it would serve and the services it would offer. Agreement has been reached on its location in Building 98; the owner of which, FIDCO, has agreed to let be used as a center. About 1. 8 million of the roughly $ 2.5 million needed has already been raised. The appropriate permits have since been obtained and reconstruction is underway.) There are questions as to whether the year- round population is declining or just in a state of flux. There are concerns about the long-term viability of the year- round community given the current state of affairs, e. g. lack of affordable housing, increasing seasonal population, loss of housing in West End to seasonal population, limited business opportunities. * There are security concerns related to day workers returning to burglarize homes.

Economic o

There

are concerns

community given

Chapter

Methodology, Issues

about the

long- term viability of the year- round

the current state of affairs,

and Analysis

e. g.

lack of affordable

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

o o

housing, increasing seasonal population, loss of housing in West seasonal population, limited business opportunities. * Utility costs ( electricity in particular) are high. More information is needed about the Island'

and the o

general

Little information is available about home

There

Ferry

that the Island is in businesses in existence.

are concerns

on- Island

businesses, its economy

business climate.

owned property managed by the vacant business properties. o

End to

occupations,

tenants

District, and underutilized

danger oflosing more

Townor

of the few

Physical o

Maintenance of physical infrastructure such

roads and sidewalks should

improved. uncertainty about how much new growth the existing utility infrastructure ( e. g. electricity, water, sewer, ferry) could absorb before additional capital investment would be necessary.

There is

How many vacant lots could be built on? Or further subdivided? There is some concern about the potentiailoss of historical structures and

sites o

development or redevelopment occurs. is ultimate disposition of US Navy property? Could part of site be used for affordable housing?*

as new

What

Environmental o

There

The

seems

quality For

to be

increase in the presence of invasive species. seems to be declining.

of the natural environment

example: The increased

has raised

concerns

fertilizers into the o

Land

preservation

amount

of land converted to lawns

about the introduction of pesticides and

ground

and coastal waters.

needs to be continued and

encouraged.

Governmental o

Can Fishers Island manage its future without interference from " the mainland"?

Better coordination and

representation is needed, e. g. there are no Fishers Island representatives on the Zoning Board of Appeals or the Board of Trustees.

The management of property owned of vision and transparency.

The Island is not well- perceived

Chapter

Town suffers from lack

by outsiders due to recent negative publicity, sewage dumping ferry boat. What is ultimate disposition of US Navy property? Could part of site be used for affordable housing?* e. g.

by Southold

Methodology, Issues and Analysis

from

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Assessment of Island Strenl!ths

The Stakeholders exist

frank discussion of the

engaged

well

clear- eyed assessment about the

currently following list contains as

as a

synopsis

of this assessment

strengths and opportunities that things that need work. The of strengths.

Social o

o o

There is

good sense of community on Fishers Island that could be strengthened. The sense of physical safety should not be jeopardized. There are significant human resources ( talent, expertise, passion) that could be tapped. a

Economic o

The Island has not been " ruined"

by tourism.

Physical o

The Island possesses public buildings, structures and land worth maintaining and rehabilitating.

Environmental o

The Island'

surfaced o

can

environment is still in

good shape and the problems

that have

be addressed.

The potential for

ecologically- sensitive use of public property has not been

explored. Governmental o

The Island' s tourist

zoning has prevented the designations.

influx of hotels and other resort

The historic structures associated with Fort

Assessment of Potential Solutions and

Wright

are

worth

protecting.

Strateli! es

part of this assessment, the Stakeholders also identified the types of potential solutions and strategies that it wanted to explore without committing itself to any specific solution, As

technique

strategy. These included the following: in

existing (or new) policy and legislation Planning design Capital investment and budgeting Other ideas that might come out ofthis planning exercise Changes

and

Information Needs

The discussion of issues and

potential solutions quickly led to an assessment of Chapter Inventory, of this report was designed to provide the information identified as necessary for developing an effective strategy. In some cases, the actual reports were included by reference. Taken together, this information will provide a factual framework for informed decisionmaking, even if that decision is to information needs.

conduct further research.

Chapter 2: Methodology, Issues

and Analysis

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Gathering data for the Inventory proved to be a difficult, time- consuming and, ironically, enlightening process for the consultant. A considerable amount of information relevant to Fishers Island was available, but it was not organized in one central location, either on the island or in Town Hall. Additionally, several organizations on the island had amassed considerable amounts of institutional and other data, but with the exception of the recent Fishers Island Community Board' s Annual Reports, the extent of this information dids not appear to be immediately evident ( or accessible) to the community at- large in a regular, consistent, organized manner. As part of this planning effort, the Stakeholders invited representatives of FIDCO, the School District, the Utility Company, the Ferry District and the Walsh Park Benevolent to meet and share information.

A list of

questions was sent in advance in order to facilitate constructive conversation. The list of questions is included in Chapter 7 Appendix as are the written responses that were received. A brief synopsis of this information was incorporated into Chapter 5 Inventory. Corporation

In the future, additional research into

legal,

environmental and economic

development

will be necessary in order for the Islanders to determine which path to take to achieve their goals. Some of these needs are identified in Chapter 4 and explored further in Chapter 5. matters

The document focuses

and consolidates information about Fishers Island and the ignore the fact that there are resources within the State of

Town of Southold, but does not

Connecticut. The format of this document is

insertion of updated

and

of the

new

information

so as

to facilitate the

designed to allow the ongoing implementation

community' s

Vision for the Island' s future.

Indeuendent Observations & Analvsis

The Stakeholder

meetings revealed that Island residents have made a concerted effort the last five years to identify and address many of their issues of concern. This effort led to a significant and major revamping of the informal, on- island, self-governing over

mechanism

issues had been addressed in the past. The creation of Community Board, ( FICB), took place during 2005- 6 under the auspices of two Island Fellows, who were funded and provided by the Island Institute of Rockland, Maine.

whereby community

the Fishers Island

The

composition of

the Stakeholder Committee mirrored that of the FICB; and the

discussions that took

place during the fall of 2006 reflected the renewed sense of generated over the course of the previous year. The effort to create the Building 98 Community Center ( and its extended campus plan) was perceived by the Stakeholders themselves as a direct result of the momentum generated by the FICB. Similarly, the decision to prepare a long- term strategy for the management of the direction the FICB had

Fishers Island School District demonstrated another collective decision that seemed to flow from the 2002- 3 Island Institute experience, described in more detail in Chapter 5

Inventory, Planning Framework.

Chapter

Methodology, Issues and Analysis

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007- 2017

Having just achieved a new forum for addressing island needs through the creation of the FICB, the community, through its Stakeholders, seemed to be searching for a cohesive governing strategy which would articulate community goals, determine specific and deadlines, priorities delegate responsibilities and marshal limited resources ( e. g. and finances) towards manpower attaining those goals. The expectations and concerns at the initial Stakeholder expressed meeting revealed general consensus about certain of Island life in need of improvement, but far less clarity about exactly what aspects changes to make and how to pursue them. Additionally, the Stakeholder meetings and interviews ( in July and August of 2006) revealed the degree to which several different Island organizations, whether governmental, quasi-public or private, pursued their objectives in isolation from one another and the extent to which this habitual way of interaction was hampering those same organizations' desire to improve Island life cooperatively. The fact that the information held and generated by the various Island organizations was not centrally located or easily accessible made it difficult for any Stakeholder ( or organization) to access the relevant data, use it to understand the issues of concern and develop an to solve them, much less coordinate interactions. The integrated strategy agency Stakeholders recognized that access to good information was essential to sound decisionmaking as well as to forestall endless debates fueled by emotion and subjective opinion. In addition to the need for centralized and accessible information, there

recognition prioritization help the Stakeholders and the community- at- Iarge) create a more sharply- defined Vision about the future of the Island. As noted earlier, the general consensus ( articulated in previous plans) about keeping Fishers Island' s character lacked sufficient detail or clarity about what constituted that character, much less suggestions how best to protect and enhance it. As a result, while considerable sums of energy and money were being expended in pursuit of good projects, there was no detailed, written statement of the overall Vision, Goals and Objectives of the Fishers Island community. Nor was there a coordinated statement of priorities, of how each project would further the whole; of how limited resources would be leveraged. that

greater degree

of definition, detail and

By the third Stakeholder meeting, creative

thinking

were

met with a

resistance seemed to cut

was

would

pattern became evident. Attempts

paradoxical

to encourage mix of enthusiasm and resistance. The

all socioeconomic strata and to arise out of two separate things: deep- seated fears and a long history of benign neglect by Town government. The fears were of change, such as: triggering too much population growth, of opening the across

door to greater influence by Town government ( and reducing Island control of its own affairs), of antagonizing specific groups of people on the Island, and of voicing alternative opinions: all of them normal to the human condition. As for the years of

benign neglect by Town government, this has resulted in some deeply ingrained perceptions about the way the Town and other levels of government operate; one of which is that no one is listening or cares about Fishers Island. It is a measure of the exasperation felt by many Islanders that there is such antipathy to Town government.

Chapter 2: Methodology, Issues

and Analysis

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

So, for instance, amidst

complaints about not getting a fair return on taxes, there was resistance to taking advantage of services financed by those tax revenues, or even asking for Island- pertinent modifications of those services. The reluctance to tap into public resources goes beyond a strong fear of " strings" that might be attached to any use of government programs. This

stance is due, in

part,

self-reliance; and self-governance. Islanders, in conservative belief in less government. In

keeping an

general,

with this conservatism, Fishers Island has

Town' s tax rate,

without

to the Island'

particularly

equal

the loss of

return in services.

revenue

This

seem

long

extensive tradition of

to adhere to a bone- deep

tradition of

protesting

the

off the Island into the Town' s coffers

dispute

extends to the

deposit

and

use

transfer tax monies ( pursuant to the Community Preservation Project Plan) generated on the Island. Efforts to reduce the flow of tax and other money off the Island have not been successful. Yet.

may have to take the form of ensuring the return of a greater share of it in the form of public services relevant to the Island' s needs. Achieving this goal will require an ongoing commitment of time as well as a

Reducing

the outflow of tax

revenues

carefully thought- out strategy.

The Island

community

is in the midst of social and institutional

change. Already

it has

taken strong steps to improve its own chances of effectuating change, not only on the Island, but off-island, in Town Hall. The next challenge will be to harness its own of self-governance, however informal, to find constructive and effective ways to and engage leverage existing public resources available through Town, County and State in order to obtain the desired results. It is hoped that this strategic planning agencies

engines

document will

the transition to

confident of its resources

pro- active,

integrated Island community; ability shape willing tap into the larger pool of public without fear of losing its integrity and uniqueness. ease

That said, there is

a more

its future and

right" answer for Fishers Island. The Island' s geographic situation and history are so unique there are few, if any, comparable situations to draw from. The wide- ranging nature of the issues of concern, noted earlier in this chapter, and the interlocking nature of many of those issues, means that the very act of deciding on a strategy no "

balancing trade- offs and setting priorities for the use of limited resources. Consequently, community consensus on the issues, the goals, the priorities and the implementation strategy will be needed because a high degree of pioneering experimentation may be necessary in order to achieve " success", however that term is defined by the Islanders. will

mean

reviewing

the

concerns,

the issues and the data relevant to Fishers Island, the most

understudied aspect of Island life seemed to be the local economy. Previous planning studies gave the topic short shrift. And, yet, the local economy has undergone major

the Island' s

history is worth reviewing here, in an brief recounting of Fishers Island' s history, written by Pierce Rafferty,

changes throughout

history,

and this

excerpt from a Curator, Henry R. Ferguson Museum.

Chapter

Methodology, Issues and Analysis

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

first settled in the I640s by John Winthrop, Jr., the son of the founder Bay Colony. The younger Winthrop saw the Island' s promise as an offihore livestock plantation. For six more generations the lad was passed down within the Winthrop family and utilized primarily for raising cattle and sheep. In 1863 the last of the Winthrop owners fell on hard times and sold the undivided property to Robert R. Fox, a successful manufacturer of sail cloth based in New York City. His goal was to retire to the island and restore the largely abandoned farms to their former grandeur. Fishers Island

was

of the Massachusetts

After the unexpected death of Mr. Fox in 1871, his widow and the executors of his estate began the process of turning the island into a seaside resort. Thefirst land lots were sold to individuals beginning in 1876. By the early I880s, a small town center had formed, a fishing community was thriving, and a tourist hotel had been built at the western end of the island. Soon large steamers were brining hundreds of excursionists to Fishers Island for a day filled with clambakes, sports activity, dancing and drinking. This brief tourist period came to a halt in 1889 when Edmund and Walton Ferguson, two successful businessmen and bankers, purchased 9/ lOths of Fishers Islandfrom the Fox heirs for the sum of $ 250,000. They received the entire island in return excepting lOI small lots that had already been sold to individuals. The two brothers bought out and shut down the tourist hotel and proceeded to develop the island as a family- based resort with cottages and hotels that catered to seasonal visitors. The Ferguson brothers financed a an the water works, electric plant and built an overall navigation company, infrastructure worthy of a first class resort. In the mid- I920s,

Henry L. and Alfred L. Ferguson, the second generation of Ferguson to the eastern two- thirds of the island, land that had been utilized almost exclusively for farming purposes before that date. They hired Frederic Law Olmsted, Jr., the son of the legendary designer of Central Park, to draw up a plan for a private residential development (" the park") covering the eastern- most 1, 800 acres. They also hired golf course architect Seth Raynor to design an I8-hole golf course on the Island' s eastern tip. The new Fishers Island Corporation opened its grand clubhouse and its golf course on July I, 1926. However, the Crash of 1929 slowed down development and today there are only 150 residences within the " park" and 350 owners,

turned their attention

residences

Today all

the

grand

Island remains nourishes its

fully developed western

hotels

very

are

private

end.

gone and no single family owns the land, but Fishers that seeks no publicity, discourages tourism, and

resort

relatively quiet pace of

life....

critical eye. From 1644 through the early 1870s, a period spanning about 230 years, the Island' s wilderness landscape was virtually obliterated by European farming practices, including the grazing of cattle and sheep. It is useful to look at this

This

history with

agricultural trajectory shifted in the late

1876, with the sale of building lots. Within

the span of a decade, as control of the island began to pass from single to multiple ownership, the land use pattern shifted to other commercial enterprises, described as

including " a small town center,

fishing community

Chapter 2: Methodology, Issues and Analysis

and

tourist hotel."

Strategic Plan:

Fishers Island

This trend

was

reversed

2007-2017

fairly dramatically ( and relatively quickly)

when the Island

was

acquired in 1889 for the purpose of re- shaping it into a premier golf and sporting resort. Yet, within a decade, the grand plan was greatly affected by the federal government's purchase ( from the Ferguson brothers under threat of condemnation) of land for a military base on the West End (1898). The development and subsequent expansions of Fort H. G. Wright on the West End took place more or less alongside the implementation of the Olmsted Plan on the East End during a relatively short fifty-year period during the first half of the 20th century. It is interesting to note that as the year- round, military and tourist population surged, so did the economy in response. closing of Fort Wright in 1949, more than fifty years ago, the Island has experienced a slow decline in population and economic diversity. In the first half of the 20th century, Fort Wright was a dominant factor in the local economy. Now, in the first Since the

Island'

century, service industries appear to be the dominant factors in the economy. Along the way, the Island lost parts of its traditional local economy

decade of the 21

including almost all traces commercially grown or made major exceptions.

of its on

agricultural history. Today, almost nothing is perhaps nursery stock being the

the island: oysters and

Throughout the United States' history, many commumtIes faced with the loss of a military base reacted by actively and aggressively re- thinking the physical infrastructure and use of that base. On Fishers Island, the dismantling of Fort Wright in 1951 prompted a series of such actions, which were designed to keep ownership of the Fort' s land and structures within the control of the Island community. Much of the vacant land around the airfield went to Southold Town. Other properties and buildings were sold to Fisher Island residents or companies formed for the specific purpose of keeping the property within Island control.

Subsequently, many structures were put to good use: officers' housing moved into the single and multifamily private home market, some of the military storage and office buildings were converted to business warehousing and office space, and one ( Building 98) is being converted into a community center. However, sadly, the part of Fort Wright that greets the resident ( or visitor) arriving by ferry is a shadow of its former spit and polish. Today the literal and symbolic gateway to Fishers Island is partly defined by unkempt parking areas, boarded- up buildings, feral cat colonies, and a vine- choked landscape. After the Fort

was

closed and

New York authorized

than 200

legislation allowing

acres

ofland ceded to the Town, the State of expand the Island- elected ferry

the Town to

district's management authority over all town- owned land surrounding Elizabeth Airfield. This amendment ( in 1951) set the stage for the leasing of public land for private commercial purposes, and is discussed in

detail in

Chapter 5 Inventory.

adopted zoning in 1957. Yet, to this day, neither the Town Code nor the Zoning Regulations make any reference to the fact that the Zoning Map' s designation for Town- owned land ( R- 120) contradicts the commercial use of that land dating back to The Town

Chapter 2: Methodology, Issues

and Analysis

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

1951. While the low rents

2007-2017

boon for the lessees, the downside to this Town policy is that it has undercut the market demand for ( and the value of) privately-owned

commercially zoned land

are a

the Island.

location of the rest of the Island'

This situation is exacerbated

businesses,

not. It is no wonder the local economy seems

some on

the scattered

commercial zoned land and

some

fragmented.

A central

premise of this analysis ( and the structure of the suggested Goals and Objectives) is that obtaining and maintaining a sustainable year-round population will require more than creating a large, subsidized affordable housing market. It will require a parallel effort to foster and maintain a sustainable year- round economic base. Without a strong local economy and better access to economic opportunities on the Connecticut mainland, year- round residents will be unable to compete financially with off-Islanders in the Island' s housing market. Without greater economic parity on the part of year- round residents, West End housing stock will continue to move into the hands of seasonal owners. But, taking a hard look at the shape and deficiencies of the Island economy will mean taking a closer look at the interplay between the Town' s public land management and the and location of zoning districts on the Island. And this effort will policy type mean assessing how existing practices might be tweaked or abandoned, as circumstances require. The potential solutions will depend on the Vision the Islanders' choose and the types of solutions they decide to pursue. of these

challenges may appear, the Islanders have a lot of social a little ingenuity, old-fashioned elbow grease, persistence, and advocacy strategic organization, they have a good chance of meeting these challenges effectively, thereby enhancing the quality of life they so treasure on Fishers Daunting

resources

to work with. With

some

Island.

Chapter

Methodology, Issues and Analysis

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

CHAPTER 3

VISION, GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The Role of Vision. Goals and Objectives in Public Policv

Public

policies generally

are

not effective unless

they provide decisive guidance to

decision- makers at all different levels of government. The Vision statement, which the

policies purport to achieve, must identify the end product of the policies in unambiguous language. For that reason, the Vision statement also should include a strategic blueprint for implementation actions in the short- run as well as the long.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of a public policy program lies in how well it is implemented. Effective implementation requires a set of criteria by which to measure the potential impact of proposed actions, thereby providing some means of judging whether these actions will achieve the desired Goal As will be described in

planning documents

not.

Chapter 5 Inventory, Planning Framework, there

which articulated

these Vision statements

were

several

Vision for Fishers Island. A few

exceptions aside, accompanied by precise description goals and difficult to assess which proposed actions might best be not

objectives, thereby making it pursued, as well as to determine The

are

of policy

their effectiveness after the fact.

Vision statement incorporates themes; some of which were mentioned in documents, and others of which were articulated by the Stakeholders. It is previous followed by Goals and Objectives designed to assist Islanders, and their representatives in Town government, in achieving Fishers Island' s Vision for its future.

following

Vision Statement Fishers Island is

island

community that desires to maintain its unique lifestyle and character. The community' s Vision for its future is an extension of its recent past, but with enhanced opportunities for a well-rounded existence within a setting of superlative environmental resources and community cohesiveness. an

The Vision is for Fishers Island to continue to be a unique place where the existing quality of life is enhanced by ample social and educational opportunities, protection of our natural resources, sufficient economic activity and growth, and quality affordable housing to meet the needs of an expanded, but limited, year- round population. The Island

community' s Vision includes a limit to the future expansion of the resort or only population in conjunction with maintaining a more sustainable, year- round, residential community and lifestyle. summer-

The Fishers Island

community is keenly aware of the trade- offs they have made in exchange for the unique lifestyle they enjoy. By definition, island life requires not just the virtues of self-reliance, strong community networks and civic spirit, it also requires a keen understanding of how to live within environmental and other constraints.

Chapter

3- Vision, Goals,

Objectives

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-20I7

Goals and Obiectives

The Goals and

Objectives of this Vision Statement are designed to assist in the implementation process, to provide guidance to decision-makers, whether elected or appointed, and to community leaders. Goal:

Develop

effective management and implementation protocol for Island by strengthening and supporting the Fishers Island Community

administration

Board (FICB) in this role.

Objectives: To facilitate

community implementation ofIsland-based initiatives. To improve representation of Island issues and concerns on the Mainland and in Albany and with relevant federal agencies. To improve Islanders' understanding of Town govemment ( and its jurisdictions) To improve communications with the community and institutions on the Mainland. To facilitate the return of a

generated leverage

equitable proportion of the tax revenues

the Island.

the

existing strengths of Island organizations to achieve synergistic

results.

Goal: A sustainable year- round population of up to 500 people, with sufficient diversity (in terms of age, sex and ability) to maintain a self-sufficient Island

community.

Objectives:

provide

the range of ages and talents necessary for the Island community to all necessary year- round public service functions, and governance,

whether

paid

ensure

volunteer, such

as,

but not limited to, utilities, school, fire

department, constables, bay constables, including on- island medical care.

and emergency medical services,

To promote social, educational, cultural and recreational opportunities on the Island to accommodate the interests of a viable year-round population. To

improve

recreational To

off-island services, facilities, and educational, cultural, and opportunities for all year-round residents. access

the

long- term use and viability of the Fishers Island School, which essential to the preservation of the Island community. It is presently an accredited pre- K through 12 public school. While alternatives should be continually explored, it must be recognized that discontinuing any grades could negatively impact the growth and stability of the island population.

Chapter 3-

ensure

Vision, Goals,

Objectives

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Goal: Good

quality housing

stock of sufficient

sustainable year- round

quantity and variety target population.

to house the

Objectives: upgrade existing lower and moderate- priced housing to meet the needs of a larger, more diverse year-round population. To create new housing of various types and sizes, suitable to meet the varying needs of a diverse year- round population, yet integrated into the existing housing To retain and

stock. To encourage the retention of year- round

housing

stock

the Island.

Goal: A sustainable local economy geared towards providing satisfying, year- round employment and access to off-Island employment, as well as providing the

types of services and goods needed by the Island population.

Objectives: strengthen and diversify the economic base of the Island. To encourage the creation of steady, competitive, year-round employment opportunities that would be attractive to and support a larger, more diversified Island community. To stabilize and expand the economic commercial base. To revitalize or adapt existing and/or under-utilized business- zoned properties. To continue revitalization of the " Gateway" area, west and south of the Ferry To

Dock

Silver Eel Cove.

To work with business

owners

develop their properties sustainably.

To encourage the retention of core services such

fuel, food, utilities, etc.

Goal: A sustainable

lifestyle through improved

energy

efficiency

and

affordability.

Objectives: To reduce energy costs for year- round residents and businesses. To introduce and encourage use of renewable energy resources in residential and commercial construction. To promote energy conservation

through

education.

Goal:

Chapter

3- Vision. Goals.

Objectives

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

integrated transportation network [including, but not limited to, roads, ferry, water- taxis, bicycle and walking paths, airfield] that supports the Island community' s need for reasonable access to services, goods, and economic opportunities. Objectives: goods and economic, educational, social and recreational opportunities which are only available off-island. To facilitate

access

services,

To reduce vehicular traffic To concentrate

the island

high volume economic

during the summer months. activity and traffic generators

key

sectors.

develop

commuter-

friendly transportation options.

Goal:

Manage

future increases in the seasonal and tourist

populations

Fishers Island.

Objectives: To

the

of the infrastructure and environment. mlmmlze

impacts

seasonal

population

the

Island' s

To reduce traffic and

security concems. To continue to discourage tourism. To continue to minimize the significant expansion of club facilities and/or memberships, which would accelerate the construction of new seasonal homes as opposed to providing additional social activities.

Goal:

Preservation of the natural environment,

particularly

fresh water

wetlands, tidal marsh, woodlands, bluffs, dunes, beaches, and season

grasslands against degradation

warm

destruction.

Objectives:

identify and protect environmentally sensitive wetland and coastal resources, including marine habitat and species. To encourage water-enhanced and To

economic and recreational activities without destroying or the natural coastal environment. To maintain the open, rural feel of degrading the Island through land preservation. water- dependent

To protect the

quantity and quality of the limited indigenous

supply. appropriate Island population in an environmentally- compatible water

To maintain recreational facilities, of reasonable size, and in

locations, to service the manner.

ensure

that economic activities

are

environmentally sustainable

and

compatible.

Chapter

3- Vision, Goals,

Objectives

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-20I7

To prevent the further habitat.

spread of invasive species into the remaining natural

identify and restore selected natural

habitat

already

affected

by invasive

specIes. To

prevent and/or mitigate erosion and siltation where possible.

To prevent and/or

mitigate water pollution where possible.

Goal:

Protection and

preservation

of Fishers Island' s

cultural environment; and its

strong

unique historic of place.

and

sense

Objectives: identify and preserve the historic, cultural, architectural

and

archaeological

resources.

To revitalize and strengthen the existing hamlet business centers on the West End. o Of the four centers, the following two merit immediate attention: the General Business zoned " gateway" area west and south of the Ferry Dock

Silver Eel Cove.

the Hamlet Business zoned " triangle" formed and Crescent streets.

To support the

archeological,

by Equestrian,

Oriental

Ferguson Museum' s role in the preservation of social, historical and cultural attributes of the Island.

Goal: Accommodate

new

growth

and revitalize

existing

infrastructure in

Vision and Policies of the Local Waterfront

Policy

Foster

keeping with RevitalizationProgram.

the

pattern of development that enhances community character, preserves open space, makes efficient use of irifi'astructure, makes beneficial use of a coastal location, and minimizes adverse effects of a

development. Policy

Preserve historic

Policy

Enhance visual

Policy

Minimize loss

resources.

quality and protect scenic resources.

of life, structures,

and natural

resources

from flooding

and erosion.

Policy

Protect and

Policy

Protect and restore the

Chapter 3-

Vision, Goals,

improve

Objectives

water

quality and supply.

quality and function of the ecosystem.

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Policy

Protect and

Policy 8

improve

air

Minimize environmental

quality.

degradation from solid waste and

hazardous substances and wastes.

Policy

Provide for public

access

to,

and recreational

use

of,coastal waters,

public lands, and public resources. Policy

Protect water- dependent

dependent

uses

and promote

siting of new

water-

in suitable locations.

Policy

Promote sustainable

Policy

Protect

Policy

Promote

use

of living marine

resources.

agricultural lands. appropriate

use

and development

of energy and mineral

resources.

Objectives: To

use

the Local Waterfront Revitalization

facilitate

Program ( and

state

of the LWRP) to protect the natural

implementation financing targeted projects.

grants designed to

resources

of Fishers

Island and to assist in

Chapter

3- Vision, Goals,

Objectives

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

CHAPTER 4:

2007-2017

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES

This section is

designed to set forth a series of strategies which the residents of Fishers Island may use to realize their Vision for the community' s future. The strategies are listed under the respective Goals and Objectives they are intended to implement. These consist of actions that will enable the Fishers strategies specific policies, procedures, Island community to realize their Vision for the Island' s future. The second part of this section contains an Implementation Schedule that identifies the actions that must be taken in order to implement the recommended strategies the Island community has decided to pursue. The Schedule notes the jurisdictions that should assume responsibility for these actions, as well as setting forth a tentative timetable which these actions are intended to take place. during

Goal: effective management and implementation protocol for Island administration by strengthening and supporting the Fishers Island

Develop

Community

Board ( FlCB) in this role.

Objectives: To facilitate

community implementation ofIsland-based initiatives. improve representation ofIsland issues and concerns in the Town of Southold, in Albany, and with relevant federal agencies. To improve Islanders' understanding of Town government ( and its jurisdictions). To improve communications with the community and institutions of the Town of To

Southold. To facilitate the return of a on

equitable proportion of the tax revenues generated

the Island.

synergistically leverage the existing strengths Recommended

of Island

organizations.

Implementation Strategies:

Islanders should insist that all Island organizations coordinate, cooperate and communicate on Island- wide issues in a timely fashion through the FICB.

Improve the effectiveness and credibility of the organizational and managerial capabilities.

FICB'

administrative,

Reinforce the administrative effectiveness of the FICB through regular meeting schedules, posting of meeting agendas and minutes in the Library and the Post

Office, and other places of public

assembly. working relationships

The FICB should cultivate productive representatives of Fishers Island.

with all Town

The FICB should establish direct contact with governmental agencies whose actions affect the Island or whose services potentially will be of benefit to the Island. ( The

following examples

should not be limited to these

Chapter

agencies mentioned agencies only.)

Implementation Strategies

are

in the report; but contact

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Town of Southold

Human Resources

Recreation

Department Department

Youth Bureau Suffolk

County Department

of Health Services

New York State

Department of Environmental Conservation State University of New York Small Business Development Center Department of State, Coastal Resources Division Local Waterfront Revitalization Program United States

Department of Defense o

Naval Undersea Warfare Center

Army Corps of Engineers Department of Transportation o

US Coast Guard

Environmental Protection

Agency Region I , Boston o Region II, New York City Department of Commerce o National Oceanographic, Atmospheric o

Administration Coastal Zone Management ( LWRP)

Other Cornell

Cooperative Extension University of Connecticut at Avery

Point

Maine Island Institute Re-examine the

existing Island Administrator' s ( IA) job description. adding grant- writing responsibilities to lA's responsibilities. b) Empower the IA to fulfill updated job description. Insist on Fishers Island representatives to the Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning a)

Consider

Board and Trustees Board. Set up a procedure whereby an original copy of any public document generated on the Island is sent to the Town of South old for archiving into the Laserfiche and GIS databases for future retrieval. Set up a procedure whereby copies of public documents or relevant to) Fishers Island are sent to and distributed

pertaining specifically to on

Fishers Island.

Notify the Land Preservation Office every time property or easements are donated to the Henry L.Ferguson Museum Land Trust so the Town' s GIS database can be maintained and updated. Establish a higher profile in the Town of Southold.

Chapter 4: Implementation Strategies

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Initiate

quarterly " Fishers Island Visitation Days" to Southold' s Town Hall whereby representatives of the FICB attend Town Board meetings and visit with officials in order to advocate for Island

concerns.

Set up opportunities for school children on Island and in the Town of Southold to attend extra- curricula events in both locations.

Include

in the

Fog Horn about Town Board agendas, including pending legislation and its potential impact on Fishers Island. Send monthly status reports to the Town Board on outstanding problems or news

situations in need of Town action.

Goal: A sustainable year- round population of up to 500 people, and with sufficient diversity (in terms of age, sex and ability) to maintain a self-sufficient island

community.

Objectives: To

the range of ages and talents necessary for the Island community to all necessary year- round public service functions, and governance,

ensure

provide

whether paid

volunteer, such

constables,

department, bay including on- island medical

but not limited to, utilities, school, fire constables, and emergency medical services, as,

care.

To promote social, educational, cultural and recreational opportunities to accommodate the interests of a viable year-round population.

improve

access

the Island

to off-island services, facilities, and educational, cultural, and

recreational

opportunities for all year-round residents. To ensure the long- term use and viability ofthe Fishers Island School, which is essential to the preservation of the Island community. It is presently an accredited pre- K through 12 public school. While alternatives should be continually explored, it must be recognized that discontinuing any grades could negatively impact the growth and stability of the island population. Recommended

Create

housing,

Implementation Strategies:

social, cultural and economic

opportunities

that would attract and

keep this target population. Implement Island Community Center campus plan. Improve coordination and budgeting among all Island Fishers Island Community Board so as to provide recreational and social opportunities.

organizations through the wider range of educational,

Continue to contact other educational institutions for assistance educational offerings and youth marine programs.

Develop marketing strategies to attract new residents. Continue dialogue with the Fishers Island School Board about and viability of the Fishers Island School.

Chapter 4: Implementation Strategies

the

expanding

long term

use

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Goal: Good

quality housing

stock of sufficient

sustainable year- round

quantity and variety target population.

to house the

Objectives: To retain and

needs of a To create needs

upgrade existing lower and moderate- priced larger, more diverse year- round population.

housing to meet the

housing of various types and sizes, suitable to meet the varying of a diverse year- round population, yet integrated into the existing housing new

stock. To encourage the retention of year- round Recommended

housing

stock

the Island.

Implementation Strategies:

Define the type and amount of affordable housing needed. Set short ( 2 years) and long (10 year) targets for creating affordable (low and moderate) housing units and define priorities by type and location. Access feasible sites for renovations and Renovate

existing buildings

Access feasible sites for new affordable o

Part of U.S.

Land owned

new

mixed

uses:

for affordable

housing housing such as:

Navy property by Fishers Island School District o R- 120 property at Fort Wright o Land owned by the Fishers Island Utility Company o Other sites ( as may become pertinent or available) Identify which existing residential rental housing (& other structures) could be improved in terms of function, appearance and value. Identify which single family homes might be converted into two- family homes. Publicize existing accessory apartment law. Facilitate construction of accessory apartments where realistic ( and feasible) through permit expediting and financial incentives or tax breaks. Scout- out feasible locations for

employer- owned housing for employees through e. g. a building set up as a writers and artists colony during off-season, could be used, in part, as a dormitory during the peak ( July & August) season. Solicit funds, donations and creative partnerships to enable the Walsh Park Benevolent Corporation to construct more housing. Create incentives for new affordable housing to be built by the private market. Solicit Suffolk County assistance to acquire and/or rehabilitate housing through a public- private partnership. o The use of County funds would not preclude giving year- round residents first priority. It would only require allowing access to off-islanders ( from the Town of Southold, then Suffolk County) ifthere weren' t sufficient residents on the the creative

re-use

of existing structures,

island.

Chapter 4: Implementation Strategies

Fishers Island

Set- up

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

education center with materials about housing subsidy programs, accessory apartment law, tenants' rights material, application forms for Section 8 and other programs. a

housing

Update and

maintain

inventory ofIsland housing

stock.

Goal: A sustainable economy geared towards providing satisfying, year-round local as well as the of services and goods needed by a yearemployment providing types round population.

Objectives: To

strengthen

and

diversify

the economic base of the Island.

To encourage the creation of steady, competitive, year- round opportunities that would be attractive to and support a larger,

employment more

diversified

Island

community. To stabilize and expand the economic commercial base. To revitalize or adapt existing and/or under-utilized business- zoned properties. To continue revitalization of the " Gateway" area west and south of the Ferry Dock on

Silver Eel Cove.

To work with business

owners

develop their properties sustainably.

To encourage the retention of core services such

fuel, food, utilities, etc.

Recommended Revitalize and o

The

strengthen

the

Implementation Strategies: existing hamlet business centers on the West End.

following two merit immediate

attention: the General Business zoned " gateway" area west and south of the Silver Eel Cove.

Ferry Dock on

the Hamlet Business zoned " triangle" formed by Equestrian, Oriental and Crescent streets, also known as the Village Green. Draw up a blueprint for revitalization of public and private properties west of Silver Eel Cove and use it to develop public- private partnerships to seek funds from New York State

through the L WRP grants program. for the State University of New York' s Small Business Development Arrange Center to come to Fishers Island at scheduled times to provide assistance to small businesses. Publicize the

Set up

University

of Connecticut's business services programs. development resource center and potential and existing entrepreneurs could obtain

Island- based " small business

clearinghouse" whereby they could be matched with potential on- island investors. Use this center to seek entrepreneurial grants for small start- up companies. Work with the Fishers Island Ferry District to develop alternative management strategies for Town- owned land currently under Ferry District jurisdiction. Review, enforce and change ( if necessary) zoning codes and other regulations in order to encourage new economic growth. For example: Define aquaculture and permit it in certain zones information and where

Chapter

Implementation Strategies

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007- 2017

Add

subtract land

from

existing zoning districts Create new zoning district categories Enforce law requiring mobile vendors to obtain pennits Rezone properties in order to pennit types of economic activity more appropriate to the existing infrastructure and buildings; e. g. Residential Office. Re- zoning would respect grandfathered operations, while encouraging future businesses to locate in more appropriate places. Create tax incentives for specific types of businesses, or for reuse of historic or

uses

structures.

Explore the appropriate use of public land for private business purposes. Maximize use of sewer and water infrastructure within existing service areas instead of expanding service to new areas). Maintain and

update inventory ofIsland-related businesses. Explore ways to improve access to reasonably-priced health insurance and homeowners insurance through company or Island-based insurance programs. Work with legislators in New York and Connecticut to facilitate health care.

Goal: A sustainable

lifestyle through improved

energy

efficiency and affordability.

Objectives: To reduce energy costs for year-round residents and businesses. To introduce and encourage use of renewable energy resources in residential and commercial construction.

To promote energy conservation

through education

Recommended

Implementation Strategies: Encourage the Fishers Island Utility Company to continue to explore term options to reduce energy costs.

short and

long

Provide incentives for new construction ( residential and commercial) to be solar and wind energy compatible.

Impose surcharges for

energy- consumptive amenities in new construction. Create incentives for energy- conservation oriented design and construction and renovations.

Create Incentives for off-peak Take

use

of electricity

during peak months.

of rebates for

advantage installing alternative energy devices. Promote water and energy conservation by the community.

Chapter 4: Implementation Strategies

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Goal: An

integrated transportation network [including but not limited to, roads, ferry, bicycle and walking paths, and the airfield] that supports the yearround community' s need for reasonable access to services, goods, and economic opportunities. water- taxi,

Objectives: goods and economic, educational, social and recreational opportunities which are only available off-island. To reduce vehicular traffic on the island during the summer months. To concentrate high volume economic activity and traffic generators in key sectors. To develop commuter- friendly transportation options. To continue to plan for, strengthen and improve the evacuation plan for both natural To facilitate

and

access

man-made

to services,

disasters. Recommended

Implementation Strategies: working through the FICB to explore details associated with the of an islandbased boat at night. concept having Improve parking, walking and biking areas. Continue to support Island efforts to provide access to off-Island opportunities and Set up

committee

activities. Evaluate and present the evacuation

plan on a yearly basis.

Goal: A cap

future increases in the resort,summer Island.

To continue to minimize the

tourist

population

Fishers

Objectives: impacts of the seasonal population on the Island' s

infrastructure and environment. To continue to reduce traffic and

To continue to

discourage

security

concerns.

tourism.

To continue to minimize the

significant expansion

of club facilities and/or

that would accelerate the construction of new seasonal homes

memberships opposed to providing additional Recommended

social activities.

Implementation Strategies:

creative

funding opportunities to preserve land; e. g. use of Community Preservation Project Plan funds. Continue to highlight the work of the Ferguson Museum Land Trust. Inventory and evaluate the use of public access points ( to Fishers Island). Explore

Chapter 4: Implementation Strategies

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Goal: Preservation of the natural environment,

particularly

fresh water wetlands,

tidal marshes, woodlands, bluffs, dunes, beaches and

against degradation

warm season

grasslands,

destruction.

Objectives: identify and protect environmentally sensitive wetland and coastal resources, including marine habitat and species. To encourage waterenhanced and water-dependent economic and recreational activities without destroying or degrading the natural coastal environment. To maintain the open, rural feel of the Island through land preservation. To protect the quantity and quality of the limited indigenous water supply. To maintain recreational facilities, of reasonable size, and in appropriate locations, to service the Island population in an environmentally-compatible manner. To ensure that economic activities are environmentally sustainable and compatible. To prevent the further spread of invasive species into the remaining natural habitat. To identify and restore selected natural habitat already affected by invasive species. To prevent and/or mitigate erosion and siltation where possible. To prevent and/or mitigate water pollution where possible. To

Recommended

Implementation Strategies: funding to develop a " ground- truthed" wetlands map for the West End. Develop a litter and garbage management plan. Amend the Harbor Management Plan to afford better protection of marine water quality and give the Fishers Island Harbor Committee tools to implement. Work with the Henry L.Ferguson Museum, the Fishers Island Conservancy and other island organizations in their efforts to develop public education exhibits on how sensitive coastal features of Fishers Island can be damaged through overuse or Seek

mis-use.

into the

public education capabilities of off-Island organizations such as Cornell University' s Cooperative Extension, the Maine Island Institute, the University of Connecticut at A very Point, Mystic Seaport, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, and the N ew York Department of Tap

State'

resources

and

Coastal Resources Division.

Identify point sources o

Encourage

of direct stormwater

discharges

to tidal waters and wetlands.

Develop a capital improvement plan (including public funding sources) to remediate those sources in a more environmentally compatible manner. use

of the Harbor

Work with the Town to

Honey through public education. develop altemative management strategies for Town-

owned land.

Enforce

accepted

Best

Management Practices for erosion control during

construction.

Chapter

Implementation Strategies

Fishers Island

Goal:

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Protect Fishers Island' s historic and

unique cultural environment strong sense of place.

and its

Objectives: To

identify

and preserve the historic, cultural, architectural and

archaeological

resources.

To revitalize and

strengthen the existing hamlet business center/village green To support the role of the Henry L.Ferguson Museum and the Museum' s Land Trust in the preservation of social, archeological, historical and cultural attributes of the Island. To celebrate the Island' s natural environment and

Recommended

Develop

unique character and lifestyle.

Implementation Strategies:

Parade Ground Preservation Plan.

Seek funds to do

Island

updated

version of the

Society

for the Preservation of Long

SPLlA) survey of historic structures.

Antiquities' ( properties for local, state and national landmark status. Recommend lighthouses for State landmark status. Continue to broaden the Fishers Island School' s offerings by building bridges with Cornell University' s Cooperative Extension, the University of Connecticut at Avery Recommend

Point and other relevant off-Island institutions.

Goal: Accommodate

new

growth

and revitalize

existing

infrastructure in

keeping with the Program.

Vision and Policies of the Local Waterfront Revitalization

use

Objectives: Program ( and

the Local Waterfront Revitalization

facilitate

implementation

Island and to assist in

of Fishers

Implementation Strategies:

of the power of LWRP to implement Fishers Island' s educational material and giving lectures.

public by distributing Seek L WRP- related funding to accomplish projects listed section of the LWRP, particularly the revitalization of the and protecting the fisheries resources.

Vision

grants designed

resources

financing targeted projects.

Recommended

Broaden

state

of the LWRP) to protect the natural

awareness

Chapter 4: Implementation Strategies

in the Fishers Island Silver Eel Cove

area

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

CHAPTER 5

INVENTORY

Introduction The purpose of this Section is to update existing inventories of certain attributes of Fishers Island which were identified as particularly relevant to the 2007 Strategic Plan.

The Inventory starts with

synopsis

of planning documents and

policies,

then

moves on

specific topics.

to more

this section, the reader is referred to eXlstmg documents, which if not included in the Appendix or the Resource Binder of this report, may be accessed through

Throughout

the Town of Southold'

Laserjiche archive. The documents in the Laserfiche archive have also been copied onto CD- ROMs, which have been placed on Fishers Island; one copy in the offices of the Fishers Island Community Board and the other in the Fishers Island Library. s

Planninl!Framework This report used several

way of reference, information, guidance and historical context. These studies and reports are incorporated by reference because

they

are

foundational

planning

policy

documents

documents. Their salient

points

are

highlighted here.

synopsis of many of these plans also can be found in The Town of Southod / ' s Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, November 2004, specifically within Section II, Inventory & Analysis, Section J. Reach 10: Fishers Island, pages 1- 48. A copy of this portion of the LWRP is located in the Reference Binder. The entire three volume set of the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program document ( in print and electronic formats) is available in the office of the Fishers Island Community Board as well as the Fishers Island Library. A

fairly

recent

1. The Fishers Island Growth Plan: 1988, 1994

1994 versions of the Fishers Island Growth Plan ( FlOP) were based on an of work consisting of natural resource inventories, maps and a report, all of body

The 1988 and

earlier

which had been

prepared

in 1984 ( and

subsequently updated

in 1987)

the Trust for

The Trust reports examined the current state of development on Fishers Island and the Island' s capacity to accommodate future growth without impacting the Public Land.

natural environment. The 1988 flOP,

summarized in the Southold Town Local

( LWRP) ( Section II, J. Reach 10,

.included

Waterfront

Revitalization

series of assumptions aimed

Program p2), .... at protecting the unique environment and community character of Fishers Island. The Plan Assumptions were: 1.

Fishers Island must have

a healthy year-round population. It must be selfall round service necessary yearfunctions, e. g., school, fire sufficient providing department, groceries, EMS, medical, etc., and also be able to expand those

services to meet the needs

Chapter 5: Inventory

of the summer population. 1

To meet these

requirements,

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Fishers Island needs

people

is desirable that the year- round sex

and

Efforts

than

currently

live

community includes

on a

the Island year-round. It diverse composite

of age,

ability levels. be made to slow the

must

growth of the summer population. All citizens goal in mind when making decisions, which

and organizations should bear this could influence growth.

The Island should remain

discouraged. (

their operations 4.

residential

Commercial activities

community and

tourism

Fishers Island should continue

focus

exclusively on serving the resident population).

The natural environment must be

fragility of

unequivocally protected. The uniqueness and water supply must be respected. To both year-round and part- time, must be made aware of

harbors, wetlands and

our ocean,

that end, Fishers Islanders,

the need for environmental protection.

The Fishers Island school is

major

asset

and should be

strengthened through

enhanced programs and a larger student body. The character of the Island' s society would be changed to everyone' s detriment without the school. 6.

For the foreseeable future, i.e.,

will continue

will need

work

necessary and to are

our

Island' s

official governance will remain the same, of Southold. This means we Town Board to obtain special legislation when

hamlet within the Town

closely with the

that the Board understands that Fishers Island' s

see

frequently different from

those

of the rest of Southold.

It is the

priorities

responsibility of

the Fishers Island

representative on the Town Board to ensure that Fishers uniqueness and best interest is clearly communicated to the other Board members. We should seek representation on any other Town boards or committees that are important to the welfare of the Island. In addition, we should explore contro/. special vehicles which might enhance local Island' s

To protect and

strengthen Fishers Island, all people and organizations must be of their interdependency, so that they will be encouraged to workfor the common good even when some individual sacrifice might be necessary. made

aware

All Fishers Island residents should

generously support the programs of the Island organizations which use private initiatives and land to protection strategies preserve the remaining open space on Fishers Island. Museum

and similar

Fishers Island Growth Plan Committee, 1988, as

In 1994, this were

plan

reaffirmed.

quoted

in Town of Southold LWRP, Section II, J. Reach 10,

updated. The concerns and assumptions expressed The following points were stressed: was

Fishers Island must have

Efforts

must

be made

For the foreseeable future, we

will continue to be

Chapter 5: Inventory

in the 1988

3.)

plan

viable year-round population

slow the growth

The Island should remain

pp2-

p2.)

of seasonal population

residential community our Island' s official governance will remain the

hamlet within the Town

of Southold and

same:

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

The natural environment must be

unequivocally protected

Fishers Island Growth Plan Committee, 1994, As

quoted

in Town of Southold LWRP, Section II, J. Reach 10,

Town of Southold Master Plan

In 1984, the Town retained

Update - Background

consulting firm

pI.) pp3- 4.)

Studies: 1984

series of background reports and conditions within the Town. The information was used by

maps that examined existing the Southold Planning Board to formulate

to create

Master Plan

Update

in 1985 ( Master Plan

Update: Background Studies, Raymond, Parish, Pine and Weiner, Inc. 1984). This update set forth goals for the entire town. In this report, Fishers Island was categorized as a "

hamlet".

The Master Plan

Update proposed that " the goals of the Town of Southold reflect the Town' s interest in preserving and enhancing the natural and built environment and providing opportunities for a level of growth and expansion of the economic base that is compatible with the existing scale of development, availability of water, existing sensitive environment of the Town and its historic heritage" ( Town of Southold Planning Board, 1985, p3). The following detailed goals were proposed: Overall

planning a community of residential hamlets that are comprised of a variety of housing opportunities, commercial, service, and cultural activities, set in an open or rural atmosphere and supported by a diversified economic base ( including agriculture, marine commercial and seasonal recreation activities). Maximize the Town' s natural assets, including its coastal location and agricultural base and achieve compatibility between the natural environment and development. Achieve a land use pattern that is sensitive to the limited indigenous water supply and will not degrade the subsurface water quality. Provide

Housing/residential development Preserve the existing housing stock and provide the opportunity for the development of a variety of housing types to meet the needs of people at stages of the life cycle, various income and age levels and household compositions.

various

Economic

development Strengthen and diversify the Town' s economic base as a means of stabilizing and expanding the tax base and year- round and seasonal employment opportunities.

Waterfront

environmentally sensitive coastal areas, maximize public access to the waterfront and achieve economic benefits from waterenhanced and Protect

water- dependent activities,

activities in

appropriate

Chapter 5: Inventory

particularly well planned

locations.

seasonal and commercial

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Agricultural preservation Preserve Southold' s prime fannland and encourage the continuation and diversification of agriculture as an important element in the life and economy of the Town. Environment Preserve and enhance the Town' s natural environment

including waterways,

wetlands, tidal marshes, woodlands, bluffs, dunes and beaches. Maintain and protect Southold' s

agricultural heritage and pastoral and open

qualities Ensure that there is

adequate quantity of high quality ground water to serve Southold' s present and projected year- round and seasonal populations. Promote a development pattern that is responsive to sensitive areas exhibiting prime agricultural soils, poor drainage, high water table, high erosion hazard, flood hazard, sensitive coastal features, great scenic quality and woodlands. Maintain and improve surface water quality Maintain and protect fin fishing and shell fishing habitats. an

Cultural environment Preserve the historic, cultural, architectural and

archaeological

resources

of the

Town. Preserve and

strengthen

the hamlets

cultural, residential and commercial

centers of activity in the Town; as a means of contributing to the

historic

buildings

and

areas

and

contributing

a " sense

preservation

of place".

Community facilities/ utilities Ensure the provision of an adequate range of community facilities and services to accommodate existing and future Town needs in a convenient and cost effective manner.

Maintain and

improve existing utility systems and determine where it is appropriate expand water supply, sanitary sewer, storm drainage and solid waste disposal systems in order to support the desired level of development and to maintain and protect a healthful living environment, a viable economic base and to

the natural environment. Provide

an open space and recreation system adequate in size and location to accommodate a range of facilities to serve the total ( seasonal and year- round)

population. Transportation Insure efficient movement of people and

and out of Town, in

a manner

integrity of residential and agricultural Update

Chapter

Inventory

goods within Southold, as well as into safety and maintains the scale and

that maximizes areas.

1985: Town of Southold

Planning

Board, 1985,

p3- 5)

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

The future pattern of land use proposed in the Master Plan Update encouraged residential development to locate in and around existing hamlets " in order to preserve and enhance

the historic and cultural

of the community, to support existing commercial provide for moderately priced housing and to encourage efficient and effective provision of community facilities and services" ( Town of Southold Planning Board, 1985, p6) and for commercial development to locate in hamlet centers. The Plan identified Mattituck, Cutchogue, Southold and Orient as major hamlet centers which should " continue to be the residential-business- service centers of the Town" ( Town of Southold Planning Board, 1985, p8). New Suffolk, Laurel, Peconic, East Marion and centers

locations

centers, to

Fishers Island

also considered hamlet centers.

were

It is worth are

These

are

in Town of Southold LWRP, Section II, B. pp 2 - 4.)

here that the Master Plan

noting

not addressed

plans.

quoted

or are

incompatible

Update

Goals

Fishers Island Growth Plan Goals

Waterfront and

Waterfront

public

achieve

and

access

to the waterfront

economic

waterenhanced

activities,

only three goals that either

noted below:

1985 Master Plan

maximize

contains

with those set forth in the Fishers Island Growth

and

particularly

commercial

benefits

Growth plans are silent on the issue of maximizing public access and on waterenhanced or water- dependent activities. Growth plans specifically not in favor of tourist-based economic activity such as

from

water- dependent

well

planned seasonal in appropriate

activities

locations.

hotels and restaurants.

Agricultural preservation Preserve Southold's prime farmland and

Agricultural preservation Growth plans are silent on the issue of agriculture and furmland preservation.

the

encourage

continuation

and

diversification of agriculture as an important element in the life and economy of the Town.

Environment Maintain

Environment and

protect

Southold'

Growth

plans are silent agricultural heritage.

agricultural heritage.

Zoning

Code and

Historically, development

Zoning Map: on

protecting

1989

the Mainland has reflected the

changing

nature of land

use

and the economy within the greater New York metropolitan area, including western Long Island. The massive and rapid transformation of farmland on western Long Island into

housing developments after the Second World War may have been among the reasons Southold Town adopted land use planning legislation in 1957. The first Master Plan was adopted in 1967 and amended in 1978.

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

The 1985 Master Plan

2007-2017

reflected the Town'

ongoing concerns about new growth and the sufficiency of the 1978 plan to address it. Although the 1985 Update was never formally adopted by the Town Board, it was used as a guide in the preparation of a revised Zoning Code and Zoning Map, both of which were adopted in 1989. This Code and Map constituted a major overhaul of the extent legislation, with significant ramifications for Fishers Island. The 1989 changes prevented the re- introduction of hotels to Fishers Island. It also created a three- acre residential zoning district ( R -120)

Update

coincidental with the boundaries of the Olmsted Plan Island.

grandfathered

the

up- zoned

were

the eastern two thirds of the

time, the pre- existing lots within the Olmsted Plan were in and recognized as legal. The lands comprising the Hay Harbor Club

restrictively, to

same

R- 120

R- 400

well. The

ten acre

Navy property

was

up- zoned

even

zoning.

Most of the boundaries of the business and industrial

zoning districts shown on the 1970 Zoning Map kept, they designated. Most General Business districts were changed to Limited Business districts with the major exception of the land that the former base of Fort The land south and west of Whistler comprised Army Wright. Avenue, of which about 178. 5 acres is owned by the Town, was rezoned R- 400. Two parcels west of Fox Lane and consisting of about 10 acres are zoned R- 120. but

were

Only the operating

main fort

were re-

complex, consisting of military

structures, to

the west of Silver Eel Cove

the smaller structures that had been used of either R- 40

zoning designation changed to either Business

The net effect of the 1989

Hamlet

warehouses, offices and other

left in Business

zoning. Most of given a residential

officer' s quarters were Density. All the Industrial districts

Marine districts,

Zoning Map

was

were

depending on the existing use. to reduce the amount of land zoned for

business purposes. Map 2- 1 shows the pre- 1989 zoning map. Map 2- 2 shows the 1989 zoning map. The current map ( 2- 3) is discussed later in this chapter in the subsection on Zoning.

This

Fishers Island Water commissioned

Supply / Watershed Study:

1994

result of water

quality testing during the years 198889. There were concerns about the ongoing safety and capacity of the water supply system, which was built around 1926 and expanded at various times thereafter. The study was jointly funded by a partnership of the Fishers Island Conservancy, the Suffolk County Health Department and the Suffolk County Planning Department. The study was designed to provide " technical information and recommendations for development of rules, regulations and policies for the future preservation of water quality in the three surface water reservoirs and the groundwater aquifers of the Fishers Island public water supply" ( Fishers Island Water Supply / Watershed Study, A. R. Lombardi Assocs., Inc., 1994, pi- I.) study

was

as a

The Water

FIWS/WS) recommended the adoption of " a SupplyW/ atershed Study ( comprehensive and vigorous watershed and aquifer monitoring, protection and spill FIWS/WS. A.R. Lombardi, pl- 3.) Most of its recommendations were prevention plan" (

Chapter

Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

carried out, after the Fishers Island Watershed Protection Plan was adopted by the Town in 1997. ( Town of Southold LWRP, Section II, J. Reach 10- p35.) However, one recommendation, to

specifically implemented,

all

fuel storage tanks by 2007, and it is unclear if this objective has been achieved.

remove

underground

Local Waterfront Revitalization

Program:

was

not

2004

The Town of Southold Local Waterfront Revitalization Program ( LWRP) was grounded on several planning studies, some of which had been funded and undertaken as part ofthe process of

developing the program. The LWRP was designed to function as a comprehensive planning document even though its primary focus was the preservation,

rehabilitation, and enhancement of the natural and

quality

resources on

which the Town' s economy

of life rested.

Policies The LWRP promotes the

following public policies

Policy

Foster

Policy

Preserve historic

Policy 3

of development in the Town of Southold that enhances character, community preserves open space, makes efficient use of infrastructure, makes beneficial use of a coastal location, and minimizes adverse effects of development.

pattern

resources

of the

Town

of Southold.

Enhance visual Town

Policy

within Southold Town:

quality and protect scenic of South old.

Minimize loss

of life, structures,

resources

and natural

throughout the

resources

from fiooding and

erosion.

Policy

Protect and improve water

Policy

Protect and restore the

quality and supply

in the Town

quality andfunction of the

Town

of Southold.

ofSouthold' s

ecosystem.

Policy

Policy 8

Protect and

air

Minimize environmental waste

Policy

improve

degradation

access

lands, and public

Policy

Protect the Town

Policy

Promote sustainable

Inventory

to,

of South old.

in the Town

and recreational

resources

of Southold from

solid

use

of the Town

of,coastal waters,

of Southold.

ofSouthold' s water- dependent uses and promote siting of new water-dependent uses in suitable locations. use

Southold.

Chapter

the Town

and hazardous substances and wastes.

Provide for public

public

quality in

of living marine

resources

in the Town

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Policy

Protect

agricultural lands

Policy

Promote

appropriate

use

in the Town

and

of Southold.

development of energy and mineral

resources.

LWRP, Section V -

Implementation- p52)

Underutilized Areas

The LWRP contains

inventory of Fishers Island' s resources as was known or published at that time. Among the key findings of the LWRP were two underutilized waterfront sites: two properties on West Harbor by Dock Beach and remnants of Fort Wright near Silver Eel Cove. Since the

detailed

and

description

of the LWRP in 2004, the two

properties on West Harbor by Dock public park that includes gravel parking area, tables, a scenic overlook, low maintenance picnic plantings and some interpretive material. The upland lot remains in its current vegetated state. The existing dock on the shorefront parcel is currently set aside for dockage by Southold Town residents for a period not to exceed 2 hours. ( LWRP, Section IIJ.Reach- IO- p38). With the exception of the renovation of Building # 98 into a Community Center, no equivalent revitalization of the F ort Wright property has been started.

publication

Beach have been turned into

beach and

Areas of Special Concern

The LWRP also identified six identified in the LWRP, included

Map

are

areas

special

Fishers Island. These

concern on

described below and shown

Map

II.J. 10,

areas, as

copy of which is

2- 4.

West Harbor West Harbor is the main maritime center

dependent

and recreational

Fishers Island and is the focus

of water-

It contains the three marinas located

on boating activity. Fishers Island and the largest single concentration of moorings in the Town of Southold. Fishers Island Oyster Farm. a commercial aquaculture company. and several commercial lobster fishermen are based in West Harbor. The most significant harbor management issues on Fishers Island occur in West Harbor. as the sometimes divergent interests of recreational boaters. marinas and shelifish producers all converge within a harbor that is becoming increasingly congested with boat traffic." ( LWRP, Section II, J. Reach 10- p38).

use

Wright and Silver Eel Pond of Southold has identified the former Fort Wright area and Silver Eel Pond as an underutilized area. This area includes a significant collection of abandoned military buildings that could be redeveloped to provide year-round jobs and/or affordable housing." ( LWRP, Section II, J. Reach 10- p38). Fort

The Town

Fishers Island Beaches The Fishers Island Beaches SCFWH consists Pond Beach

area on

Farms Beach Beach

Fishers Island Sound

area on

Block Island Sound

the far western end

Chapter 5: Inventory

of three

areas on

the far eastern end

of the

island. the Middle

the south central shoreline. and the

of the island between 8

Fishers Island: the Mud

Hay

Stony

Harbor and Fishers Island

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Sound.

They are important as a network of bird nesting sites. Nesting shorebird species inhabiting the Fishers Island Beaches are highly vulnerable to disturbance by humans from mid-April through July." ( LWRP, Section II, J. Reach IO- p39). Fishers Island Pine Islands ( formerly

Hungry Point Islands) along the north shore of Fishers Island, one and onemiles the eastern end of the island. The Islands approximately half from comprise a relatively small, but valuable, coastal habitat type that provides suitable conditions for several unusual species of wildlife. Isolation from predators and human disturbance may be the most important component of the islands habitat, distinguishing this area from many other rock and marsh islands in Suffolk County. " ( L WRP, Section II, J. Reach IO- p39). Fishers Island Pine Islands SCFWH is located

The Race and the Conservation Zone The Race is

an area of open water located between Race Point, at the western end of Fishers Island, and Valiant Rock. located approximately one and one- half miles southwest of Fishers Island. The fish and wildlife habitat is a very deep channel ( over 150 feet in

depth), approximately one mile wide, and bordered by steep underwater slopes rising up to relatively shallow water (less than 30 feet deep) on each side. This approximate 2,500acre area is the primary opening in the underwater ridge separating Long Island Sound and Block Island Sound, and is an area of very turbulent tidal exchange. The Race represents a very unusual physical environment in New York State. The deep, turbulent waters and shoals combine to produce a productive and diverse habitat for marine fishes. As a result of the abundant fisheries resources in the area, the Race has become a nationally renowned sportjishing area with heavy fishing pressure occurring throughout spring, summer, and fall. In addition to sportjishing, the Race supports a commercial lobster fishery of regional significance. The significant human use that this area supports is dependent upon maintaining or enhancing opportunities for compatible recreational and commercial fishing, within the productivity limits of the fisheries resources." ( LWRP, Section II, J. Reach lO- p39) The Town

of Southold recognizes the importance of maintaining the habitat values of the supported the efforts of the Fishers Island Lobstermen and the Fishers Island Conservancy to foster better regional management of the unique and regionally-significant lobster and other fishery resources surrounding the Island. Exploitation offishery resources to their detriment is contrary to the Town ofSouthold' s LWRP policies on resource management." ( LWRP, Section II, J. Reach lO- p39) Race SCFWH...the Town has

Finally, with regard to the future deposition of any contaminated dredge spoils at the New Dump Site, the Town of Southold finds that prospect to be contrary to the intents and purposes of its Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, as well as threatening to the water of Fishers Island, the unique habitat of the Race and the Fishers Island and Block Island Sounds in general" ( LWRP, Section II, J. Reach lO- pp39- 40)

London

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-

20/7

The Fishers Island Water

Supply watershed Concerns were raised about the ability of the current groundwater supply to provide an adequate quantity of water during drought conditions and saltwater intrusion. Protection of the watersheds of the groundwater supply and the Barlow, Middle Farms and Treasure Ponds from the impacts of development is important to the community, in order to ensure the continued availability and quality of the groundwater and surface water supply. Steps have been taken by the Fishers Island Water Company to address these concerns such as implementation of the Fishers Island Watershed Protection Plan, development of a third well and maintaining the surface water treatment plant on Barlow Pond for service. The relatively undeveloped watershed area also includes important wetlands and significant plant and wildlife habitat that warrant protection. " (LWRP, Section II, J. Reach 10- pp40) Development Issues The LWRP noted certain troublesome aspects of Fishers Island' s population and growth Southo/d as an area potential. " All of Fishers Island has been identified by the Town of stable use. The island is a wellestablished seasonal residential resort of existing

community with residential

for unimproved, development

small year-round population. Much of the island has been developed or has been subdivided. Although many of these lots remain

use

seasonal

growth is occurring, both through new seasonal residential increasing market in seasonal rental of existing property. These trends have had the effect of increasing the overall seasonal population and boosting property values. The downside is this trend could negatively impact the environment and the community character of the island. Mitigating steps have been taken to address rapid seasonal growth such as capping membership in the island' s private facilities and maintaining a two vessel ferry service rather than a largerfleet. " At the

and

time that seasonal

development pressure has increased, Fishers Island has experienced a decline in its year-round population. This threatens the vitality of the island' s character and infrastructure. Maintaining the Fishers Island School is also vital to the island' s year round population. Without the school, families with young children may be forced off island. So, as the population declines, the student population at the school does as well. To address this issue, the Fishers Island School, kindergarten through grade 12, has employed a magnet student program inviting as many as 25 students in grades 5 through 12 from Connecticut [ toJ attend the school, thereby enhancing the viability of the school experience for the island' s 50 or so students. Despite the success of this program and quality of education delivered to the students, the community is beginning to discuss the feasibility of alternative high school experiences for the island students. " same

It is clear that current trends will result in

changes

that could alter the environment and

Southo/d LWRP is to community character of Fishers Island. The focus of the Town of ensure that the impacts of these changes on the island' s coastal resources, both natural and cultural, are minimized. To this end the LWRP focuses on the protection of the island' s unique natural environment and its water- dependent uses. " ( Section II, J. Reach

10-

pp38

to 41.)

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Harbor Management The LWRP also included

Fishers Island Harbor

Management Plan ( FIHMP), which by Management Committee, with assistance from the Southold Planning Department, and the New York State Department of State. The FIHMP was adopted by the Town Board in 1997, along with enabling legislation, Southold Town Code: Chapter 33, Fishers Island Harbor Management). Section II. J. Reach 10 and the Fishers Island Harbor Management Plan of the Town of Southold was

created

LWRP

are

the Fishers Island Harbor

included in the Reference Binder.

Conclusions

The LWRP recommended three

specific projects for Fishers Island: Revitalization of Fort Wright and Silver Eel Pond Regional Habitat and fishery Management Plan Ongoing Protection of Water Supply and Watershed LWRP, Section V - Implementation - p55)

Of these three,

only protection of the water supply and watershed has been

Comprehensive Implementation Strategy:

addressed.

2003

Southold Town

adopted a moratorium during the years 2002 through 2005, during which comprehensive review of its longrange planning policies, its land use and resource protection plans, and its governing legislation. During this time, moratorium law prevented the subdivision ofIand until a comprehensive review of the Town' s longrange planning policies and its governing legislation could be conducted. it undertook

The

Comprehensive Implementation Strategy ( CIS) document, ( Draft Generic Impact Statement. Southold Comprehensive Implementation Strategy, May 2003) examined a body of planning work spanning twenty years. These plans articulated, in various ways and levels of detail, the Town' s vision for itself as a socially, economically and environmentally sustainable community. The CIS made a detailed review of the Town' s land use and resource protection plans, as well as its extant legislation and procedural standards. The following list indicates the plans that were reviewed and the year the plans were completed. Environmental

Parks, Recreation & Open Space Survey ( 1982) Town Master Plan Update (1985)* Fishers Island Growth Plan (1987- 1994) * US/UK

Countryside Stewardship Exchange Team Report (1991) Long Comprehensive Special Groundwater Protection Area Plan ( 1992) Town Affordable Housing policies and program (1993) Southold Town Stewardship Task Force Study (1994) Sea View Trails of the North Fork (1995) Peconic Estuary Program ( 1995) Economic Development Plan, Town of South old ( 1997) Community Preservation Project Plan (1998) Island

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

Southold

Township:

County Route

2007-2017

2000

Planning

Initiatives (1999)

48 Corridor Land Use

Study (1999) Strategy ( 2000) Town Water Supply Management & Watershed Protection Strategy ( 2000) Scenic Southold Corridor Management Plan ( 200 I) Farm and Farmland Protection

North Fork Travel Needs Assessment ( 2002)

Blue Ribbon Commission for

Rural Southold, Final

Town of South old Local Waterfront Revitalization

Report ( 2002) Program ( 2003)* CIS, p 1- 4)

An asterisk denotes

plan

that

discussed earlier in this section.)

was

The CIS described the basic

goals of the above- referenced plans and studies as follows: To preserve land, includingfarmland, open space and recreational landscapes. To preserve the rural, cultural and historic character of the hamlets and surrounding countryside. To preserve the Town' s remaining natural environment; to prevent further deterioration of the Town' s natural resources and to restore the Town' s degraded natural resources back to their previous quality. To preserve and promote a range of housing and business opportunities that supports a socio- economically diverse community. To increase transportation efficiency and to create attractive alternatives to automobile travel, while preserving the scenic and historic attributes of roadways in the Town. "

The Town' s

objectives

I) "

focusing

to maintain

within 2)

these

goals

are

twofold:

the unique cultural and historic

sense

of place found

Southo/d' s communities, and

to maintain

the

high quality of the

Town' s environmental

resources. "

CIS, P 1- 5)

The CIS identified 43 separate implementation actions that had been recommended by the various planning studies. Many of the actions were ( and remain) relevant to Fishers Island. The CIS found the Town' s longrange plans to be internally consistent, but recommended the

adoption

the recommendations

was

of detailed

develop

authorized studies for all the hamlets

strategies

Study, Cleary Consulting, was completed 7.

Town of South old Hamlet

ensure

their

detailed hamlet studies.

Study

implementation.

One of

In 2004, the Town Board

the Mainland. in

July

The Town of Southold Hamlet of 2005 and is discussed next.

2005

In 2004, pursuant to the afore- noted CIS recommendations, the Town Board authorized studies for all the hamlets on the Mainland. The Town of Southo/d Hamlet Study, was

completed in July of 2005. official planning document. The

primary focus of the

evaluate the technical and

Chapter 5: Inventory

Later that month, the Town Board

Hamlet

adopted

the report

as an

Study was to formally delineate the Hamlet Centers, practical feasibility of redirecting potential future growth from 12

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

the

agricultural and open space areas of the Town towards the hamlets, and also to critically validate the Hamlet Centers themselves, to define strengths and weaknesses with an eye toward enhancement, improvement and revitalization." Town of Southold Hamlet Study, Town- Wide Analysis, Page 5.) The hamlet studies

were designed to allow local stakeholders to take active roles in each hamlet' s " center", to defining propose outer growth boundaries, and to debate its future shape and form. The centers were defined as places within the overall township that were well-defined, recognizable districts distinct from the outlying open space and

farmlands. All the Town' s hamlets except Laurel and Fishers Island

were

included.

at the

request of the Islanders, a separate hamlet study was authorized. However that effort stalled because much of the format and focus used for the Mainland hamlets did not lend itself to the issues of concern to Fishers Islanders.

Subsequently,

The Island Institute 2003- 7: Givinl!Voice: The Fishers Island Proiect

In 2002, several Fishers Island residents visited The Island Institute, in search of ideas about how to address issues of great concern to them, principally the declining yearround population, the rising cost of living, and the inability of existing island to deal

effectively with these issues. The discussion " focused on problems common to many islands: the difficulty of running ( and paying for) a small public school; the costs and challenges of law enforcement; state and federal mandates that don' t fit organizations

island situations; the need for health care and other social services; what it means to be out of sync" with mainland communities. In addition, Fishers, with its large number of

expensive

homes and its

proximity to Long Island Sound' s over- the- top real a housing market, property taxes and real estate values that from a small community' s standpoint, at least could only be described as out of control." (" No Dog But His" David D. Platt in Voice: The Fishers Giving by summer

estate market,

was

forced to deal with

Island Proiect, p 17.) The Island Institute is a membership- based community development organization based in Rockland, Maine. Its primary focus is on fifteen year- round island communities located off the Maine coast, and its mission is " to support and sustain the uniqueness and w w.islandistue. org/aboutus) viability of small islands." ( http:// A

dialogue

ensued, of which the end result

the

funding through 2006.

and

placement of a Senior Fishers Island for the years 2004 As documented in Giving Voice: The Fishers Island Proiect. two Senior Fellows assisted in the restructuring of the way in which existing organizations, upwards of thirty-three in number, communicated Fellow

with

was

one

another and

governed island affairs.

the Senior Fellows assisted the islanders in restructuring their ad- hoc method of self-governance which reflected the lack of a strong presence of the Mainland of Town

Briefly,

government.

The Fishers

appointed/partly activities

are

Island

Civic Association

elected Fishers Island

defined

Chapter 5: Inventory

by By- Laws.

was

supplanted by

partly

Board ( FICB), whose structure and The fourteen members consist of six, elected

Community

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

representatives ( three of whom must be year- round residents and three of whom must be seasonal residents) and one appointed representative from each of the eight organizations with the greatest impact on island life: the Fishers Island Development Corporation, the Ferry District, the Fire District, the School Board, the Utility Company, the Island Health Project, the Waste Management District and Walsh Park Benevolent Corporation. The FICB'

serving

mission is "

determination The FICB'

facilitate the functioning of the Fishers Island community by focal point for participation by individuals and organizations in the and execution ofgoal for the Island." ( Giving Voice, Appendix) to

the

charge is to establish mechanisms

Increase

to:

collaboration and communication between organizations and the

public; Provide

that includes organizations and the public, that encourages community participation and dialogue surrounding the issues concerning the residents of Fishers Island; a

forum,

Articulate and prioritize the community goals; and Undertake, encourage, and support tasks to achieve those goals.

Giving Voice, Appendix)

Through the efforts of the Senior Fellow during the years 2006- 6, the FICB established an Island Office, a non- profit newspaper, and a monthly meeting schedule of various Island activities and projects: all of which has resulted in improved intra-island communications and organization, as well as a more cohesive dialogue with Town government. Historically there has been limited interaction between Southold Town government on " the Mainland" and Fishers Island. While the " hands- off' approach towards island governance by " the Mainland" often suited the independent nature of the island community, it also has resulted in a legitimately deep- seated frustration with the Mainland' s lack of responsiveness to resolving island problems. 9.

Planning

A review of

overall

Conclusions

past planning studies from 1982

to 2005 revealed that many of the Town'

goals and objectives for its future remained fundamentally unchanged through Many, but not all, ofthese goals are relevant to Fishers Island.

the

decades.

Fishers Island'

preservationist Vision: that of protecting unique physical homogenization that has pervaded much of the American landscape. However, pursuit of that Vision in st the 21 century is likely to require a more definitive approach to solving Island problems, and this may require a candid look at certain Island traditions. As identified in Giving Voice. Fishers Island already has taken significant strides in this direction. s

Vision for its future is

the island'

Chapter

Inventory

essentially

attributes from the cultural and

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007- 20/7

Natural Resources As

from

2- 4, Fishers Island is the

largest of several islands scattered near the Connecticut shoreline. Fishers Island is 6. 7 miles long, and averages three quarters of a mile in width; encompassing about 5 square miles ( 3, 200 acres) ofland. It is located about seen

Map

12 miles to the northeast of Orient Point and 3 to 4 miles south of Connecticut,

opposite the Mystic Stonington. only by plane or The other islands, all uninhabited except for the first, include: North Dumpling, Dumpling, Pine Islands ( also known as Hungry Point Islands), Wicopesset, Latimer

cities of New London, Groton, boat. South

and

It is accessible

Reef, Flat Hummock, Race Rock. The natural

resources

of Fishers Island have been documented in past planning were noted and described earlier in the Planning Framework

documents, all of which

section. These documents are included in this report by reference and the interested reader is referred to these documents for more details. However, Section II.J. Reach 10,

of the Town of Southold' in the Reference Binder.

Although

Local Waterfront Revitalization

the LWRP contains

Program,

L WRP, is included

of the

priority areas of concern on Fishers Island, database will need to be updated in order for Islanders to achieve their goal of improving the environmental protection techniques currently in use on Fishers Island. One gap in the database is the lack of an updated survey of rare and endangered species. Another is the lack of a detailed wetlands map. The existing wetlands map, included here as Map 2- 5, is based, partly, on interpretations of aerial photographs. This map is too generic for stewardship purposes and needs to be improved through field work and ground and ground-truthing, whereby GPS ( Global Positioning System) waypoints are assigned to vegetation boundaries or boundaries, and are placed upon an A-2 Survey Map. ( An A-2 Survey Map is an accurate property map that is field surveyed, signed and sealed by a licensed surveyor.) the natural

listing

resource

Another gap in the database is the lack of an updated survey of rare and endangered species. A third gap is lack of a GPS map denoting where mosquito breeding sites are located. ( Source: Geb Cook, Director of Site Services, Clean Harbors Environmental Services, Inc., E- Mail.

September

10, 2007.)

Currently, field workers use hand- drawn surveyed and signed and sealed by a

maps. An accurate property map that is field licensed surveyor.

The Fishers Island

Conservancy has a long track record of protecting the Islands' natural organization has underwritten many research and field projects, including assisting with the costs associated with mosquito control and outfitting the pump- out boat. Currently it is funding an experimental phragmites control project with approvals from the New York Department of Environmental Conservation. resources.

This

Although there is environmental legislation on the books, and the Island has recourse to enforcement by Bay Constables and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation peace officers, the Island lacks

Chapter 5: Inventory

overall educational strategy

Fishers Island

coordinated,

Strategic Plan:

on- Island

Only

resources.

environmental 157, Harbor 1.

2007-2017

process for self-protecting its most important upland and maritime the Fishers Island Harbor Committee exercises direct influence on the

resources

of West Harbor, pursuant to the Southold Town Code,

Chapter

Management.

Fishers Island Harbor Committee

Formed in 1994, the Fishers Island Harbor Committee ( FIRe)has role in

important

exerting

local control

over

the Island'

harbor

played

resources.

very The FIRC

drafted and administers the Harbor

Management Plan for all waters surrounding Fishers Island. The reader is referred to Section J. Reach 10, pages 41- 45 of the Local Waterfront Revitalization document for a detailed history of this volunteer Committee, its charge and its jurisdictional authorities. A copy of the Harbor Management Plan can be found in the LWRP,

Community The FIRC

copies of which

are

available at the

Library and the Fishers

Island

Board office.

was

successful in

cobbling together $ 35, 000 from the Town and the Suffolk

County Department of Health Services towards the purchase of a pump- out boat which has been named, the Harbor Honey. The Fishers Island Conservancy donated additional funds to

purchase electronic equipment and install it on the boat. The FIHC continues to work closely with the Town Trustees and the Town Department of Public Works in order to obtain funding and other assistance on harbor management issues. The boat has been in

operation since July 2007. The two boat handlers are paid by the Town in accordance with civil service regulations. The boat has a waste- carrying capacity of 240 gallons. The waste is transported to Noank Shipyards and pumped into the Groton Sewer system. The yearly charge for access to the Shipyard ($ 500) is paid by the Town.

kept in order to support the Island' s upcoming petition to the State of New York for " No Discharge Zone" status for all the island harbors and perimeter waters. Obtaining this designation will help the Island maintain the water quality and protect shellfish and fishery resources from contamination. ( Source: Elbert Burr, Chairman, Fishers Island Harbor Committee, August 1, 2007, Telephone Pumpage

records will be

conversation. )

Historical Context

Fishers Island'

rich and

complex history has played a definitive role in the Island' s development. The factors that shaped Fishers Island are quite different from those on the Mainland, and they continue to shape the island community today. There are several good sources of historical information, including the article " No Dog But His" by David D. Platt ( Giving Voice: The Fishers Island Project, p 17.). The information presented here is included for the purpose offacilitating a strategic plan for Fishers Island' s future.

Chapter

Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007- 2017

Founding Days was purchased from

The Island

the Pequot Indians in 1644 by John Winthrop. From that onward, the natural wooded, environment of the island was profoundly re- shaped point by the grazing of livestock and other farming practices of the time. In 1863, Robert R. Fox purchased the island from the Winthrop family. Between 1863 and 1889, the Fox

family sold off about 101 small parcels, less than one- tenth of the island. remaining nine- tenths were sold to two brothers, Edmund M. Ferguson Ferguson. At the time of the

Ferguson purchase, the

In 1889, the

and Walton

developed western third of Fishers Island church, boarding houses and numerous cottages. The large eastern two thirds of Fishers Island consisted of undeveloped grazing land dotted by abandoned farm structures, fields and pastures. Following their purchase, the mostly Fergusons' revived and expanded farming at the east end with operations centered on three distinct farms: East End Farm, Middle Farm and Wilderness Dairy. A fourth, Poultry Farm, was created closer to town, below Mount Prospect. However, it was at the West End that the Ferguson brothers began to implement their vision of an exclusive resort community free of day excursionists. To support this vision, various Island- based businesses, such as hotels, ferry, electric, water and telephone enterprises were created. contained

More than

excursion hotel,

more-

decade earlier, in 1896, the federal government approached the Ferguson purchasing land at the western tip of the island for the purpose of creating coastal defense base. This request did not fit the Fergusons' plans, but they agreed to a

brothers about a

negotiate. Disagreement about the price per acre ( the government offer of one hundred dollars per acre was considerably lower than the asking price of one thousand per acre) led to condemnation hearings. Two years later, a panel of judges ruled in favor of the Fergusons and they received $ 176, 000 for 215 acres of land in 1898. The U.S. Govemment would continue to purchase land through 1943 for a total of 419 acres. Sources: Pierce Rafferty and Guardian of the Sound: A Pictorial History of Fort H.G. Wrif!ht. Fishers Island. NY. 1998, Pierce Rafferty & John Wilton, p vii) The development and operation of Fort H.G. Wright ( until 1949, when it was de- activated) generated enormous infrastructural and social changes, many of which continue to affect the Island today. In the 1920s, the second

generation of Ferguson owners, led by Alfred L. and Henry L. Ferguson, expanded development plans for the eastern two- thirds of the Island, referred to hereafter ( in this report) as the East End. Beginning in 1925, and continuing through the 1930s, the East End was slowly transformed into a private, residential community in conformance with a landscape and design plan drawn up by the Olmsted Brothers Company 1926 and revised in 1928. Between the development of the western third of the Island into a military base and the transformation of the East End into a gated" resort community with a premier golf links course, all vestiges of an agricultural economy disappeared, and now, almost no land is farmed. the resort

The corporate structure set up by the Ferguson brothers to develop and manage the Olmsted Park property was modified through the years. For more detailed information

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

the evolution of the corporate management structure of the East End, the interested to the following book, The Fishers Island Club and its Golf Links. The

reader is directed

First Seventy- Five Years, 2002, Charles B.

excellent

recounting

evolution into its present

Pierce

Ferguson &

Rafferty.

It contains

their vision for Fishers Island, the resort' s

of the

Fergusons, day appearance, and the history of its corporate management.

Financial and corporate decisions by the Fergusons ( and the subsequent successor companies that followed the original development company) have maintained many aspects of the 1926 Olmsted plan on the East End. In 1965, the Fergusons' Fishers Island Farms company was sold and re- named the Fishers Island Utility Company, which continues to operate the water, telephone and electrical facilities, and retain partial these facilities

ownership of FIDCO),

a successor

with the Fishers Island

along

company formed in 1960 to manage the

the Island. More details about the management structure on Management Structure, below. Sources include the

following: The

Southo/d LWRP, 2004; the

knowledgeable

Ferguson Museum has benefited from

photographic

The First

The Town

of the

recent curatorial efforts to track down written and

Fergusons and Fort Wright. The interested Museum' s collection for details beyond the scope of this report.)

documentation

reader is referred to the

Pierce

Rafferty; of Ferguson & Henry L.Ferguson Museum, particularly its Rafferty; and the Southold Town Historian' s library. The

resources

director, Pierce

contained in the subsection

Fishers Island Club and its Golf Links.

Charles B.

Seventy- Five Years. 2002 ,

are

Development Company private eastern section of

pertinent

to the

2. Post World War II

At its

height, during

the First World War, Fort

military personnel

Wright's population

is estimated to have

people. Army closed Fort H.G. Wright. When The were withdrawn from the base, the buildings were shuttered. In 1949, the U. S.

numbered about 1, 500

consisting of barracks, officers' quarters, storage buildings, emplacements and dockage stood unused and neglected. extensive infrastructure

gun

buildings were transferred for use by the Fishers Island military base were transferred to the General Services Administration. Of this acreage, 56 acres and ninety- four buildings were sold at auction to the Race Point Corporation, a local syndicate formed to ensure the land was not purchased by off-islanders. Race Point Corporation donated much of this acreage to In 1956, 3. 82

acres

and twelve

school. In 1958, 293. 23

acres

of the

the Town. The federal General Services Administration also transferred the Town. Some land still remains in federal hands,

Mount

acreage to Prospect, site of some

principally Navy Underwater Sound Laboratory which is currently operated by the Naval of the Sound, p. 218) Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC). Guardian ( the U.S.

significance of this ownership pattern, from a planning perspective, is that the potential for the public and private sectors to work together to improve the quality oflife on Fishers Island is enormous, particularly if consensus can be reached on community goals. The

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

3. Structures and Sites of Historical In 1988, The

Society

Importance

for the Preservation of Long Island

of historic

Antiquities, ( SPLlA), conducted The inventory

within the Town of Southold.

inventory properties Comprehensive Survey of Historic Resources in the Town of Southold and Fishers Island) found eighty- one ( 81) structures of historic significance on Fishers Island. an

The information in the SPLlA survey was scanned into Laserfiche, then mapped and reviewed by the Stakeholders. It is included here as Map 2- 6. SPLIA Inventory. Upon review, it

both

was

the

consensus

of the Stakeholders that the SPLlA

and inaccurate, and that

inadequate

a new

inventory ( and map)

was

survey should be taken when funds

became available. The Town has

for local Landmark Structures and Sites.

This is

voluntary

program whereby property owners submit requests for local registration. No properties on Fishers Island are on this register, nor is there any record of any applications for

landmark status. As noted in the Town of Southold Local Waterfront Revitalization

three

around Fishers Island that

lighthouses

nautical

reasons.

These

are

significant

Program,

for historical

there

well

are as

are:

Latimer Reef Lighthouse North

Dumpling Light Light

Race Rock

Source: Town of Southold, LWRP Section II.F- p6)

New York State and the federal government each maintain Registers of Historic Places. These registers contain buildings, structures, districts, objects and sites significant to the

history, architecture, archeology

and culture of the state

Although Fishers Island is not listed on either the State or the National registers, it has properties that are considered eligible for such designation. These properties are: or

the nation.

Race Rock

Fort H. G.

Light Wright Source: Town of Southold, LWRP Section II.F- p3)

A review of the

holdings

of the

Ferguson

revealed that the Museum contains

Museum with its curator, Pierce

Rafferty,

inventory of the Fort Wright properties collection also includes a detailed building and grounds

and

extensive

history. The museum' s inventory that had been commissioned by

the Fishers Island Farms in 1918.

This

information may be useful for future historic reconstruction purposes. a)

Parade Grounds

The Parade Grounds of Fort

Wright

are

owned

the Town of Southold.

historic aspects of this property have not been maintained, the site is

Chapter 5: Inventory

Although the potentially of state

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

national landmark status.

outlines

one

application

Map

2- 7

possible boundary of such

Proposed a

Parade Grounds Historic District.

district. Additional material relevant to the

process is contained in the Reference Binder.

Manal!ement Structure One consequence of Fishers Island'

unusual

history

the

briefly, is that infrastructure, including utilities, is the Mainland, almost all utility as

recounted above,

ownership and management of most services and private, not public, hands. By contrast, on infrastructure and services, such as electricity, internet, sewer, roads and water services are provided almost entirely by either public entities such as a local, county or state government, or by quasi-public entities that have been chartered as public authorities under New York State law ( e. g. Suffolk County Water Company, Long Island Power Authority, KeySpan, etc.). in

Fishers Island'

geographic isolation from the Mainland has resulted in a unique degree Through the years, various districts and other administrative arrangements have been created in response to island- specific needs and situations. As a result, governance on the island is a curious and not entirely efficient mix of private and public institutions, some on the Mainland and some on- Island. of unofficial

informal self-governance.

The current form of self-government is described in detail in the recent

publication

Giving Voice: The Fishers Island Proiect. A brief description of this report was included earlier, in Planning Framework. During the years 2004 and 2006, the Fishers Island Civic Association

replaced by the Fishers Island Community Board ( FICB) whose mission is " to facilitate the functioning of the Fishers Island community by serving as the focal point for participation by individuals and organizations in the determination and execution ofgoalfor the Island." ( Giving Voice, Appendix). Currently,

was

the FICB is

functioning

as an

umbrella

organization

which

hopes

facilitate

coordination among several active groups that have a significant impact on Island life. FICB Annual Report 2006). These organizations are listed below in alphabetical order, in

one

of four

categories: taxing districts, corporate, non-profit and governmental.

Taxing districts

quasi- public entities designed to provide a public service. Operating through general taxes paid by property owners within the district. The corporate entities listed here are privately held organizations designed to provide specific management or utility services. The term, non-profit, is used here to describe any organization created for the purpose of addressing civic, religious, social or other specific issues. Operating revenues in non- profit organizations typically are generated through private fundraising and voluntary contributions, although some may obtain ( or be able to obtain) some of their money from public funding sources. The governmental category includes organizations with considerable management authority, e. g. the Fishers Island Harbor Committee, as well as those whose jurisdiction is strictly advisory.

revenues are

are

collected

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island

Taxing

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

districts: o

Fishers Island

Fishers Island Fire District

Fishers Island

Fishers Island School District

Fishers Island Waste

Fishers Island

Ferry District

Library Association Management

District

Corporate

Development Company Library Association Fishers Island Utility Company

Non- profit: o

American

Island Health

Fishers Island Cemeteries

Fishers Island Civic Association Rodent Control

Fishers Island

Fishers Island Fire Department Fishers Island Lobstermen Association

o o o

Legion Post No. Project

Conservancy,

Island

Island Concerts

Island

Our

Bowling Center Community Center

People' s Project Lady of Grace Church

St. John' s Church

Union

Program

Inc.

Hay Harbor Property Owners Association Fort H.G. Wright

1045

Chapel Sanger Fund The Henry L.Ferguson

Tree Committee

Walsh Park Benevolent

Museum

Corporation

Governmental

Each

Southold Land Use Committee

Fishers Island Harbor Committee

organization noted here has

clear purpose and is committed to meeting a specific played by the three Island churches in building

set of needs. Of particular note is the role

community, providing social networking opportunities, funding scholarships, aiding people in need, hosting educational and spiritual lectures, and providing meeting space: all in addition to hosting religious services. The

challenge faced by the these organizations for

FICB will be to

all

maximum

Chapter

Inventory

leverage the human and financial resources of community benefit. The reader is referred to the 21

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Community Board' s Annual Reports of 2005 and 2006 to obtain a more detailed picture of the concerns and activities addressed by each of the above- listed organizations. Fishers Island

The FICB itself is

representatives ofthe Island community (three three seasonal) and eight appointed representatives, one from each of the composed

of six elected

year- round and eight institutions that wield the most influence

above, also of this

are

discussed below,

Strategic

briefly, in terms

Island life.

These institutions, listed

of their relevance to the

implementation

Plan.

Fishers Island Development Companv ( FIDCO) FIDCO is

corporation owned by more than one hundred

shareholders, most of whom also

residential property on the East End of the island. FIDCO is the successor to the original corporate entities created by the Ferguson brothers to develop the East End. own

Governed

annually- elected Board of Directors, FIDCO seeks to maintain and improve the character, atmosphere and quality of life of all of Fishers Island, not just the by

East End, which encompasses about 85% of the land

FIDCO maintains the

park- like quality of the

the Island.

1926 Olmsted Plan

through deed

restrictions,

whereby its Architectural Review Committee reserves the right to conduct its own site and design review of each proposed residence. In 2005, FIDCO redrafted the Covenants used to preserve the " park- like atmosphere" and improved its Design Review Guidelines for structures and landscaping. FIDCO encourages the donation of undeveloped land to the Henry L. Ferguson Museum Land Trust, to which it recently donated a sizable amount of land. FIDCO

owns

the land

which the Fishers Island Club and Golf Links

are

sited

well

that of the Fishers Island MarinaIY acht Club.

and all the sold

buildings developed.

land it

All roads within the East End

roads is

owns.

are

It manages and maintains the golf course FIDCO also controls some land which has not been

owned and maintained

by vehicular permits issued

to east end

property

FIDCO.

owners,

Access

over

these

their guests, members of

the Fishers Island Club, businesses that service the east end residents and year- round residents of the island.

holding company, FIDCO retains majority ownership ( 60%) of the Fishers Island Company and minority ownership of the Fishers Island Electric Company and Telephone Company. In summary, FIDCO acts as both a Property Owners Association for the East End and as a holding company for various land holdings and infrastructure assets located throughout the island. As

Waterworks

FIDCO' s involvement with the year- round community has been extensive and generous. They have supported the efforts of the Walsh Park Benevolent Corporation in its efforts to

provide permanent affordable housing. They also have helped underwrite the creation of a

Chapter

Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

fitness trail

near

the Fishers Island School,

the purposes of renovating it into FIDCO'

role in the

well

Community

implementation of

any

leasing Building

98 ( at

cost)

for

Center.

strategic plan for

Fishers Island will be

essential. Fishers Island Utilitv Companv ( FlUC) The

Utility Company is a holding company which oversees three operating companies which provide water supply and sewage treatment, along with electric and telephone services. ( The operating companies are: The Fishers Island Waterworks Company FIWC), Fishers Island Telephone ( FITC) and Fishers Island Electric ( FlEC). FlUC' s stake in these compani es is: Fishers Island Water

Company - 40%, Fishers Island Telephone Company - 51 %, Fishers Island Electric Company - 40%. The FlUC

provides management services to the FIWC. It also provides services to taxchartered districts and operates in accordance with rules and regulations set by the New York State Public Service Commission. Although the holding companies are owned by stockholders, their directors have never received compensation for their services. Nor have the directors of the

President,

Fishers

Commission,

April

Island

operating companies. ( Correspondence: Robert E. Wall, Utility Company, to New York State Public Service

3, 2006)

More details about the

utility services are provided below, in Development Patterns and The management of the FlUC is linked closely to that of FIDCO and together the two holding corporations affect the level and quality of essential utility services on the island. Constraints.

Fishers Island Ferrv District The Fishers Island

Ferry District was created by State legislation in 1947 pursuant to was] to Chapter 699, Laws 1947. Its " object and purpose...[ construct, and maintain a public A further object and acquire, equip, operate ferry... purpose of the district shall be to acquire by gift, purchase or lease, an airport or landing field situated on Fishers Island, and to operate and maintain such airport." ( Section 2 of the Fishers Island Ferry District Act, Amended by Chapter 620 of the Laws of 1951). The District oversees the operation of Elizabeth Field and has secured federal funds to assist in the cost of maintaining and upgrading the airfield. Article 12, Town Law,

The Fishers Island

Ferry District ferry

Act ( FIFDA)

forth the

responsibilities and by which they would be elected. Section 5- b states that the town board may delegate jurisdiction, control and supervision of such airport or landing field to a board of ferry district commissioners, who may, in turn, lease such portion of the airport or landing field not authorities of the five member

Chapter

Inventory

commission,

set

well

the process

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

required (

for such purposes) to any legal business purpose, a public hearing held by the commissioners.

subject

approval

of the

town board after

The FIFDA

amended in 1962 to

was

except for the Coast Guard station and

incorporate the entire Island within the district, the U. S. Navy property. FIFDA also sets forth the

commissioners may be elected to the board for five year terms. Electors of the district qualified to vote for town officers of the town of Southold at the preceding town election and owners of real property situate within the Fishers Island

protocols whereby

ferry

district assessed upon the last preceding town assessment roll shall be eligible to such annual election." ( FIFDA, Section 9). There are no term limits.

vote at any

Because of its volume, all documentation related to the on

the

Laserjiche

When the

CD-ROM where it

Ferry District

was

can

Ferry District has been placed found under the title " Ferry District".)

created, the Town Board did not

adopt

additional

protocols

for the management of the land it had placed under the district's control, essentially leaving that up to the District Commissioners. When the Town acquired the majority stake in the land and airfield within Fort H. G.

Wright

in 1958, and

expanded

the

taxing

and electoral boundaries of the district to encompass most of the Island, this had the effect of expanding the district's management responsibilities considerably beyond its

original jurisdiction,

which

was

the

ownership, operation

and management of

ferry

service, boats and facilities.

authorizing legislation, FIFDA, has been amended in order to address district needs and responsibilities and conceivably could be amended again in the future, as may be needed. The extent to which the Town Board may exert its legislative authority over specific operating procedures of the District, specifically as they pertain to non- ferry issues, e. g. management of leases on public property, is not known. Eligible Island voters have the power to change the composition of the District Board of Commissioners, and to effect changes in operating procedures through the ballot box. The State

Fishers Island School District

The Fishers Island School District, FlSD, provides public schooling for grades pre- K through 12. The District is committed to providing a high quality learning environment and to expanding the educational experiences of island students. The school district is working on a long range plan for leveraging the uniqueness of the island' s location and small classroom

settings through various

outreach and magnet programs.

perceived by the larger community as being an essential ingredient for a successful year- round community. There is strong support for maintaining a full service, accredited (pre-K to 12) school, but there also are ongoing questions as to the wisdom and expense of providing grades 9- 12 on the island, when private or public off-island schools may be able to offer a different, more diverse palette of educational opportunities. Nearly twenty years ago, the school created a magnet program to boost enrollment as well as to compensate for the loss of some students to private off-island

The school is

schools.

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Fishers Island Fire District and Fire Department The Fire District encompasses the entire island, and is protected through the efforts of approximately 48 active members of a Fire Department. The District owns the fire

equipment and the ambulance. It rents the fire hydrants from the Fishers Island Utility Company. The District provides life insurance for the Department. It also has an awards program for Department members with twenty years of service. house, the fire- fighting

The Fire

Department consists of male and female

volunteer

firefighters,

who also

provide

ambulance and emergency medical technical services. The Fire Department owns and maintains the Sea Stretcher, a twin engine ambulance boat capable of transporting two revenues,

donations. to

hospital. Unlike the District, which is funded through tax Department heavily on volunteer labor and extensive private Its ability to service the emergency needs of the island depends on being able a sufficiently large pool of able-bodied year- round residents.

to the New London

patients

draw

relies

the

Fishers Island Waste Management District

The FIWMD is

primarily

the island.

concerned with the collection and

It is

disposal

garbage

five commissioners.

district

taxing governed by district has two full time employees and one part time secretary, all with a health benefits package. generated

of which

are

The

provided

composting station is operated on land owned by the FIWMD. The transfer station is operated on land leased from the Ferry District. The transfer station handles all household wastes including recyclables. The district does not dispose of junked cars or boats. The FIWMD would like to move the transfer operation onto its property in order to reduce operating and staffing costs and improve efficiency. The

Three years ago, the district capped its landfill pursuant to New York State regulations. It is negotiating with the Henry L.Ferguson Museum Land Trust to donate that property as permanent open space since State regulations prohibit use of that land for any other purposes.

aquifers ( sources of potable drinking water) from contamination, all household garbage generated on the Island must be shipped off the Island. The expense of shipping garbage via ferry is five hundred dollars ($ 500) per 30 cubic yards of material. During the summer months the District spends between eight and twelve thousand dollars ($ 8, 000 - $ 12, 000) per month to ship garbage to New London. In order to reduce this expense, the district is looking into ways of reducing the volume of garbage that must be shipped off the Island. It would like to acquire equipment capable of shredding glass and paper for reuse on the Island. ( Source: Michael Imbriglio, Commissioner, FIWMD. Telephone conversation, July 30, 2007) Pursuant to State

regulations designed

protect sole

source

Island Health Proiect

Incorporated medical

in 1974, the Island Health

care on

the Island.

Chapter 5: Inventory

Project

In 2006, the IHP

providing year-round achieving an ambitious

is committed to

was

successful in

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

goal: finding a permanent physician to live on the island year-round. The IHP is also constructing a new medical facility to improve the level of emergency and clinical care. The IHP reflects the Island community' s commitment to round-the- clock medical and emergency care, and its recognition that such care will be essential for the Island to attract and retain a diverse and vibrant year-round population. Walsh Park Benevolent Corporation In 1987, the Fishers Island Civic Association and other civic-minded residents formed

Corporation, WPBC. The provide housing opportunities for families who live and work on Fishers Island. Named for the woman who agreed to sell her property on North Hill, WPBC is credited with creating the first permanent affordable housing in Southold Town, as well as Fishers Island. The organization is managed by a twelve member Board composed of year- round and seasonal residents. Its funding comes from donations, property rents and a fundraising event. WPBC continues to create and manage affordable housing. Its future efforts will be critically important if the Island is to retain, much less expand, its year- round population. non-

profit organization,

known

1. State

relations

Intergovernmental

Intergovernmental fractured,

the Walsh Park Benevolent

affordable

mission of WPBC is to

relations between the Island and the Mainland, the the Island is

best.

County and the by an

the Mainland

Currently represented Board Member. Until a few years ago, Councilperson appointed Planning on the the Island also had an appointed representative Zoning Board of Appeals and an elected representative on the Board of Trustees. The loss of representation on the latter two boards occurred as the result of political decisions and has resulted in a lack of Island input into the decisionmaking of those respective boards. The geographic distance and the long travel time between the Island and the Mainland are the primary culprits in this are

elected

and

situation. There

are

Island

appointees

the

following Mainland

committees:

Architectural Review

Emergency and Disaster Preparedness Land Preservation The Fishers Island Harbor

Management Committee

composed solely of

Island

representatives. representation on the Board of Trustees and the Zoning Island representatives on the following town committees:

In addition to the lack of Island

Board of Appeals, there

are no

Board of Assessment Review

Agricultural Advisory Anti-Bias Task Force Board of Ethics Committee

Chapter

Inventory

Health Issues and Services for the 26

Elderly

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

Conservation

Employees Employees

2007-2017

Advisory Council Compensation Plan

Deferred

Health Benefits

Historic Preservation

Housing Advisory Commission Parks, Beaches and Recreation Police

Advisory Records Advisory Storm water Runoff Advisory The bulk of Island coordination with the Mainland falls

Councilperson and, 2.

lesser

Alternative forms of

degree,

the

Planning

on a

few shoulders,

basically the

Board member.

governing

As noted earlier, the awkwardness of the current

governing

situation is due

primarily to the geographic distance between the Island and the Mainland. Improved applications of existing technology might ease some of these communications problems in the future, e. g. teleconferencing, videoconferencing, and online access to both Laserfiche and the Mainland government's computer network. For the moment, as in the past, the primary short- run solution to improved governing ( and governance) is a persistent commitment of time and energy into staying engaged in Mainland government functions and discussions relevant to the Island. The

feasibility of exploring alternative forms of self-governance was brought up in Stakeholder meetings and these alternatives are limited. One is to get Southold Town to agree to send a home rule message to the New York State Legislature asking that it form the Town of Fishers Island. The consultant views this alternative as unlikely for two the reluctance of the Mainland to allow the Island to separate and the growing reasons: realization in Albany that creating more local jurisdictions may be counterproductive to efficient governing statewide. The other alternative is to form restricts the

geographical

extent

Incorporated Village within

Villages

Southold Town. State law

five square miles

less.

Fishers Island

encompasses slightly less than five square miles of territory. However, the minimum requirement for incorporation is a year- round population of five hundred ( 500) " regular

inhabitants".

regular inhabitants" as " all territory proposed incorporated except such persons who persons residing themselves, or who are persons under the age of eighteen years residing with persons who maintain a residence outside such territory which is used as their address for purposes of voting." Further, a petition for incorporation must be sponsored by either twenty percent of the residents qualified to vote within the proposed Village or the owners of more than fifty percent in assessed valuation of real property ( based on last public.leginfo. state. v.us) completed assessment roll). ( Source: htto://

New York State

Village

in the

Chapter 5: Inventory

Law, Article 2- 200.2. defines " to be

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Development Patterns & Constraints The development patterns described in the Town of Southold LWRP 2004 document

largely valid and while that text was used following paragraphs contain updated information

remain

The current breakdown of land

uses on

979

primary source where applicable. as a

parcels, based

for this report, the

the Tax Assessors records,

is noted below: Use ofland

Number of parcels

parcel

One

family dwellings: family dwellings: Multiple dwellings:

507

Two

Vacant lots:

306

Vacant underwater land:

Commercial:

Recreation & Entertainment: Services:

Community

Public Services:

Wild, Forested, etc. Lands:

Purchased Dev.

Total

Rights

919

parcels

Source: Town of Southold, GIS,

August

2006)

management of the Island is so strongly bifurcated into East and West; its development patterns and constraints are described in that context as well. The graphic Because the

version of the list above

keep

can

in mind that the land

ofland

use,

be found

Map

2- 8: Land Use. When

looking

at this map,

pattern shown here reflects the Tax Assessor' s interpretation which may be quite different from the uses permitted by the underlying zoning,

which is shown

use

Map 2- 3: Zoning 2006.

1. West End

Medium to

high density development

only

found in the westem part of the island, Wright Army base, where community

within the confines of the former H.G.

principally water supply

and sewerage services

are

located.

portion of the island contains all the institutional and commercial uses found on the island with the exception of the Water Works building on Barlow Pond, on the East End. The institutional uses include a new medical clinic, an accredited pre- K to 12 public The western

post office, the volunteer fire station, the Coast Guard Station, the ferry dock and management office, a solid waste recycling and landfill station, and the offices of the school,

Fishers Island Commercial

uses

game/ meeting

Chapter

Utility Company. include: several marinas,

rooms

Inventory

and

eight

bedrooms),

seasonal inn (which includes a restaurant, bar, seasonal food and deli market, a year- round

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

requires the Planning Board park".

to approve

the creation of any

new

building lots

with " the

In summary, the constraints to new development on the East End are largely self-imposed. The Olmsted Plan itself caps the ultimate amount of residential development that may occur. Some of that development potential has been eliminated by individual property owners who donated easements or land ( in perpetuity) to the Ferguson Museum. In

addition to

land with

donating land to the Ferguson Museum development potential in reserve

Land Trust, FIDCO has

voluntarily held

some

Public services and facilities

The cost of utilities and other services

was

noted

as an

issue of

concern

to year-round

residents, even though the true cost of these services was borne to a greater degree by the seasonal population. ( Discussed elsewhere, in the Demographics section of this chapter, the seasonal

population is estimated to peak at around

3, 000

people.)

A brief

synopsis of the utility network including its inherent constraints ( and excess capacity), is useful for the purposes of identifying potential constraints to new development or redevelopment. The management of Town land as defined by the Fishers Island Ferry District is included here in recognition of the " public service aspect of that District's charter. But the ferry service itself is discussed under the subheading Transportation, towards the end of this Chapter. Some of the information in this subsection Section J. Reach 10 and

services.

some

Chapter 7 Appendix

was excerpted from the Southold LWRP, from the Stakeholder interviews with the providers of these contains the Stakeholder questions and agency responses.

1. Water

The water

Supply supply, treatment, distribution

and storage facilities for Fishers Island are owned and operated by the Fishers Island Waterworks Company, an operating company jointly owned by FIDCO and the Fishers Island Utility Company. The Fishers Island water

development

of Fort

two miles of water

groundwater

supply system was constructed in the early 1900s as part of the Wright. Today it services more than 600 customers by way oftwentymains, an equalization reservoir, a surface water treatment plant, a

treatment

facility,

well field and three surface water reservoirs ( Barlow

Pond, Middle Farm Pond and Treasure Pond).

A copy of the Water Supply Map is located within five hundred feet ( 500') of the Map Supply. Anyone distribution system must tie into it for their potable water supply.

included

2- 9: Water

Until the 1990s, Barlow Pond

augmented

was

the

primary

source

of the island'

with water from Middle Farm Pond, if needed,

drinking

water,

during peak usage. gallon per day surface water treatment plant that had been constructed during the 1920s and located adjacent to Barlow Pond. This treatment plant was withdrawn from service in 1990 and currently is used as a back- up supply system. Today, the primary source of water is the Middle Farms well field Water from Barlow Pond

Chapter 5: Inventory

was

treated in the I million

summer

Fishers Island

area.

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

The water is treated at the

the well field, before

recently constructed groundwater treatment facility being pumped directly into the transmission main.

In 1994, the demand

the well field

was

winter and 200,000

75, 000

the

near

gallons

per day average during the A.R. Lombardi Assocs., Inc.,

gallons per day during p3- 2). Although the land uses have changed considerably between 1939 and 1993, the trend in water consumption on the Island held steady. Pumpage has declined in recent years and some of this has been attributed to the two Island golf courses switching to their own wells. Irrigation wells continue to be installed and be permitted provided they are not used for drinking purposes. summer (

1994,

Untreated well water

can

pumped

to Middle Farm Pond to

augment the surface supply if

necessary. The 500,000 gallon Chocomont Reservoir maintains the system pressure and provides storage for fire- fighting purposes. In order to expand the well capability of the

third well,

geographically set apart from the existing two wells at Middle Farms, is now online and supplies robust and superior quality water. Aside from these wells, about 50 individual private wells are still in use on the Island. The impact of these wells on the aquifer is not known. water

supply,

As noted earlier, in the subsection

Planning Framework, the Fishers Island Water Works Company protection plan in place in conjunction with the Suffolk County Department of Health. This plan denotes primary and secondary protection areas. This protection plan allows the Company to impose restrictions on the addition of irrigation wells, and other heavy water users, such as swimming pools. has had

watershed

supply does not appear to be a constraint to future growth due to the fact that pumping rates for nine months of the year are low. The Water Works Company estimated that the system should be able to accommodate a fifty percent ( 50%) increase in usage. Water

The water rates

are charged according to type of customer: Class I ( true year- round) and Class 2 ( seasonal), with the former rate being less than the latter. The Company provides two year-round employment positions. There are no projected increases in staffing. This company is the most indebted of the utility companies on the Island.

2. Wastewater facilities The only sewage treatment collection system on the island services about forty buildings within the perimeter of Fort Wright. The system was built as part of the development of the fort. In 1986,

a new

discharge

to surface waters. In 1987, it

of sewage flow

community

subsurface

disposal system

was

installed to eliminate all

estimated that if 100

gallons per capita per day generated, this system could accommodate a maximum population of Wright area, a 30% growth increase from the service area' s current was

were

200 in the Fort

population. In addition to this main

disposal system, the Fishers Island School has its own system and there are seven individual septic systems in the Fort Wright area. ( The Trust for Public Land, 1987, p32). In 1980, the population was 318 and in the 1990, it was 360. Since the

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

current year- round

the Island has

dropped below 300, it is reasonable to that the 1987 estimate is still valid and that considerable growth potential still exists within the service area. population

asswne

The remainder of the island

individual

on- site

subsurface sewage

disposal systems cesspool/ leaching pool systems. Since 1972, the Suffolk County Department of Health Services regulations have required septic tank/leach pool systems for all new residences. The Island' s well-drained soils, low density, and seasonal use have minimized problems related to individual onwhich consist of either

uses

septic

tank/leaching

pool systems

site wastewater treatment systems. However, there

are water quality problems in West Harbor and Hay Harbor and these could be caused, in part, by malfunctioning on- site wastewater treatment systems on residential properties adjacent to these harbors. Research should be conducted on the location and condition of these systems to ascertain if they are a cause of the impaired

water

quality.

Wastewater systems are not likely to be a constraint for future development in the Fort Wright area due to unused capacity of the existing sewage treatment system, as noted

earlier. Also, the renovation of Building in increased

capacity

#98

into the Island

because storm water runoff

Community

currently flowing

Center will result

into the

sewer

system

from up to five catch basins will be diverted out of the sewer system into dry wells. Michael A. Home, P. E., Diversified Technology Consultants, Telephone conversation,

August

Map

2, 2007)

2- 10 Sewer Network shows the location of this

and has not been

In the interim,

system. The map

of the

was

created in 1970

the map have updated. buildings been demolished. This map' s current format was too large to reproduce for purposes of this report. Accordingly, a copy has been placed in the Reference Binder. The information on this map should be updated through field work and entered into the Town' s Geographic Information

System

some

shown

database.

3. Electric

provided by the Fishers Island Electric Company. The trend in electric use has gone up nationally, and this is true for Fishers Island as well. Although no statistics are available, lifestyle changes involving greater use of electric devices, is considered the biggest factor in the growth of electricity demand on the Island. New construction and renovations typically result in increased demand.

Electricity

The FIEC

four basic classes of service: Class I ( Year-round), Class 2 Class 5 ( Commercial) and Class 7 ( Non-seasonal, but not year- round). Seasonal residents pay more than twice that of year-round residents and commercial users pay one half more than year- round residents.

provides

Seasonal),

Electricity

is delivered via two underwater cables from Noank, Ct. The

dates to 1989, the

secondary

Chapter 5: Inventory

cable is

older cable installed in 1963

primary cable and kept for standby

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

back- up purposes. There is no on- Island generation of electricity, although the look into that option in the future. At the same time, the Company is not Company may or

considering alternative sources of electrical supply. There are no service expansion plans given that the current system is capable of servicing a fifty percent ( 50%) growth in the current on- Island population. The

Company employs four

force.

If this situation

affordable 4.

housing

on- Island

for those

residents. It has

change, employees.

were

the

Company

plans for expanding the work securing

would be interested in

Telephone Telephone Company ( FITC)has approximately

The Fishers Island

1, 058 lines in service difference between seasonal and year- round call rates. The service is constantly upgraded and expanded in response to demand and evolving technology. There are no known constraints to on- Island growth in intra- Island phone service. But, the long- distance or off-Islander provider, ATT, can handle only eightyon

the Island.

There is

87) calls at

seven (

Internet

time. FITC also is

investigating upgrading its

current level of

access.

FITC

employs five year- round personnel. It has no plans to expand this number. If it did, it would assist in creating affordable housing for those employees. 5.

Emergency Management dealing with Transportation, evacuation plans in the event of emergencies is a necessary part of ensuring the public health, safety and welfare. Emergencies can range from natural ( severe storm or hurricane events) to manAs will be noted later, in the section

made (

breakdowns in the Millstone Nuclear Reactor in Connecticut). The extent Emergency Management Plan for the Island has been an ongoing source of concern, particularly with regard to timely notification and evacuation procedures in the event of a e. g.

nuclear

Pages

mishap

at the Millstone Nuclear Power Plant in Connecticut.

I - 3 of the Fishers Island

emergency alert and evacuation binder. 6.

The

Telephone Directory contain the key elements of the plan. A copy also has been placed in the Reference

Other

Department of Public Works

buildings,

responsible for maintenance of Town-owned public park lands. The DPW also assists in the implement the Local Waterfront Revitalization Program and other

recreational facilities and

solicitation of grants to

projects such

the Fitness Trail.

Zoninl! As noted earlier, in

2~3:

Zoning

Development Patterns & Constraints, and

as can

2006, the bulk of Fishers Island is zoned for residential

Chapter 5: Inventory

use.

seen

from

Map

The entire eastem

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

part of the Island is zoned R- 120 ( 120,000 square feet per lot/dwelling) which is equivalent to three acre

zoning.

Zoning Patterns

The western part of the Island contains a much more diverse zoning pattern. Most of the residential land is zoned R- 80 ( 80,000 square feet per lot/dwelling). Three parcels ofland are

zoned R- 120.

One is the site of the

Hay

Harbor Club and Golf Course.

encompasses 9.5 acres and is the site of the Fishers Island small adjacent parcel contains a two- family residence. All the business

zoning on the Island is

contained

West End, and it is found in six different

areas on

Garbage

less than

The other

and Refuse District. A

sixty acres

of land within the

the Island:

General Business:

west of Silver Eel Cove

Hamlet Business:

Limited Business:

at the intersection of Crescent and Fox

General Business:

Montauk Avenue

General Business:

Central Avenue

Marine II:

Central Avenue

General Business:

eastern terminus of The

the intersection of West and

Equestrian

avenues

Gloaming

The location of the business districts reflects the location of pre- existing business operations that came into existence during a period of higher population and greater levels

of economic service

activity.

Each of the districts has its

own

Equestrian business center. With a potential for redevelopment and new growth, although

The

quality and

primary

post office is the centerpiece of the few exceptions, each district contains

West and

Maps

distinctive

set of services that it offers. For instance, the

some more so

2- 15 A and 2- 15 B show the location of business- zoned

table notes these

following properties by by the Tax Assessor' s Office).

tax map number,

determined

Table: Business zoned

properties

Fishers Island

PRTKEY

ZONING

6.- 8- 5

0.49

9.- 5- 3

0. 99

210

9.- 5- 6

0. 15

210

9.- 5- 7

0.04

210

9.- 5- 8

0. 09

210

9.- 5- 9

0. 52

210

10.- 7- 3

0.33

210

10.- 9- 16

0.21

210

10.- 9- 17

0.26

210

10.- 1- 5

0.65

0.29

210

10.- 1- 7

0. 002

310

12.- 1- 7. 1

311

6.- 8- 3. 2

0.04

311

SPLITCA T

R-40

Chapter 5: Inventory

ACREAGE

Zacres

0.46

R-40

0. 74

USE' 210

than others.

properties and structures. zoning, acreage and use ( as

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

10.- 1- 6

R-40

1.11

0. 22

311

6.- 8- 6

R- 40

0. 81

0. 35

311

10.- 10- 1

0.38

312

6.- 4- 11

0.65

313

10.- 1- 8. 1

1.2

432

10.- 7- 2.4

12.-

4. 68

440

12.- 1- 3

0. 85

449

12.- 1- 19

0.4

449

10.- 9-

0. 68

480

12.- 1- 2

2. 18

480

12.- 1- 5. 1

1.25

480

9.- 5- 4

0. 18

483

9.- 5- 5

0. 11

483

12.- 1- 17. 1

6.4

612

12.- 1-

0. 8

661

6.- 8- 7

0. 34

870

9.- 4- 8. 2

0. 34

210

9.- 4- 2

9.- 2- 5

0.48

481

9.- 4- 3

0.06

481

9.- 4- 5

0.07

481

0.21

483

9.- 4- 4

0. 15

484

9.- 4- 8. 5

0.46

484

6.- 7- 1

0.35

210

6.- 7- 3

0.09

210

6.- 7- 4

0.2

210

6.- 2- 18

0. 17

210

6.- 7- 2

0.08

311

6.- 7- 5

0.5

311

6.- 2- 17. 2

0.5

0. 12

311

6.- 7- 6

2. 02

330

6.- 6- 20. 6

0. 78

449

6.- 6- 21

449

6.- 7- 13

6.- 2- 21.1

0. 3

481

6.- 2- 22. 5

0. 38

481

6.- 7- 14

0. 5

484

6.- 6- 11

1.02

534

9.- 8-

Mil

0.43

210

9.- 8- 7

Mil

0. 2

312

12.- 1- 10

Mil

5. 1

448 210

1-4.4

9.- 4-

21.1

4.3

11.5

3.4

R- 40

R- 80

0. 82

0.48

1.13

0.53

1.93

R- 80

BR-120

432

3. 31

210

1.33

449

6.- 2- 22. 2

R-40

0. 26

0. 08

6.- 2- 23

R-40

1.19

0. 41

210

2. 46

0.7

418

9.- 5-

11.1

R-40

10.- 7- 2. 5

R-40

0. 4

0. 17

692

9.- 4- 6

R- 80

1.69

0.2

210

6.- 2- 17. 1

R- 80

1.65

0. 23

311

9.- 8- 2

R-80

Mil

3. 22

0. 89

441

10.- 1- 9

R-80

Mil

0. 79

0. 37

570

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Total acreage Total minus non- business acreage

Note: The

use

210:

60. 552

codes describe the

predominate family, year round residence

one

1.91

58. 54

use

of the site:

310: vacant residential land 311: vacant residential land 312: residential land with small

non- livable

improvement

313: ? 330: vacant commercial land 418: inn

432: service and gas stations 440: storage, warehouse and distribution

facility

441: fuel storage and distribution 448: pier, dock 449: other types of storage, warehouse and distribution 480: multi- use 481:

type building with first floor commercial and second floor residential

row

483: converted residence with

484:

one

partial use

office

story commercial

534: social 570: recreation

612: school 661:

protection

services ( e. g.

military, police,

Coast Guard)

692: road 870: electrical

facility

Although the Southold Zoning Code contains additional business districts, no Island properties are zone Resort Residential, Residential Office, Light Industrial, Light Industrial Office

Marine Business 1.

However, not all of the Island' s commercial

Other

of business

activity takes place

land zoned for business.

include:

activity legal home occupations, pre- existing non- conforming businesses operating on residentially- zoned property,

venues

Town land,

of it zoned B, General Business, but most of it zoned R- 120, is leased for commercial activity under the auspices of the Fishers Island Ferry District Act. 2. A

some

Permitted Uses in Business Districts

simplified list of uses permitted by the existing business districts

the Island

are

noted

below: Limited Business ( LB) District The purpose of the Limited Business ( LB) District is to provide an opportunity to accommodate limited business activity along highway corridors, but in areas outside the hamlet central business and

surrounding existing and future areas

areas,

uses.

uses

that is consistent with the rural and historic character of

Emphasis

will be

generate low amounts of traffic and be character of the area.

Chapter 5: Inventory

placed on review surrounding uses. designed to protect

will not detract from

of design features

The additional

uses

that

must

the residential and rural

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Minimum Lot Area: 40,000 square feet Permitted Uses

Single-family Residential Retail businesses Custom

workshops, machine shops

Wholesale/ retail sales, accessory storage and Libraries, museums

display

of garden materials,

plants

Professional & business offices Funeral homes Restaurants, except drive- in and formula Repair shops, carpenter and other trade shops,

landscaping

and service businesses

Hotels Retail

supplemental to

service business

Wineries Bed & Breakfasts

Private

warehousing

Bv Special Exception

Accessory apartment Contractor' s yards Telephone exchange Art galleries, arts and crafts shops Hamlet Business ( HB) District The purpose of the Hamlet Business ( HB) District is to provide for business development in the hamlet central business areas, including retail, office and service uses, public and

semipublic

uses, as

well

hotel and motel and

will support and enhance the retail

multifamily residential development that development provide a focus for the hamlet area. and

Minimum Lot Area: 10, 000 square feet Permitted Uses

Single-family dwelling, detached and owner occupied dwelling, owner occupied

Two- family

Town and district structures and

uses

Boardinghouses and tourist homes Business, professional and government

offices

Banks and financial institutions

Retail stores up to 6,000 square feet gross floor Restaurants, excluding formula and take- out Bakeshop for on- premises retail sale Personal service

shops antique and auction galleries Artists and craftsmen workshops Auditorium and meeting halls Repair shops Custom workshops

Art,

Bus station

Chapter

Inventory

area

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Theatre

Library, museum Laundromat Bed & Breakfast

Multiple dwellings Grocery store up to

25, 000 square feet

Bv Soecial Exceotion MotellHotel on three acres minimum

Boarding

and tourists homes

Fraternal and social institutional offices,

Drinking

meeting halls

establishments

Public garages Funeral homes Flea markets

Take- out & formula restaurants

Accessorv Uses

Accessory apartment General Business ( B) District The purpose of the General Business ( B) District is to provide for retail and wholesale commercial development and limited office and industrial development outside of the hamlet central business areas, generally along major highways. It is designed to accommodate

parcels

uses that benefit from large numbers of motorists, that need fairly large of land and that may involve characteristics such as heavy trucking and noise.

Minimum Lot Area: 30,000 square feet

Permitted Uses Town and district structures and

uses

and tourist homes

Boardinghouses Business, professional

and govemment offices

Banks and financial institutions

Retail stores up to 8, 000 square feet gross floor Restaurants, excluding formula and take- out Bakeshop for on- premises retail sale Personal service Art,

antique

area

shops

and auction

galleries workshops Auditorium and meeting halls Repair shops Custom workshops Artists and craftsmen

Bus station

Theatre

Library, museum Laundromat Bed & Breakfast

Multiple dwellings Grocery store up to 25, 000 square feet Wholesale, private/ public warehousing, storage, excluding

Chapter 5: Inventory

coal, coke, fuel oil,

junk

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Building, electrical, plumbing, contractor' s yards Cold storage plants, baking and other food processing and packaging plants Wholesale or retail sale and accessory storage and display of garden materials, supplies and plants, including nursery operations Wholesale/retail beverage distribution Funeral home Bus station

Telephone exchange Winery One and two family dwellings Bv Special Exception Hotel or motel on three

acres or more

Bed & Breakfasts Tourist camps Research, Design

Development

Laboratories

enclosed commercial recreation facilities,

Fully including but not limited to tennis clubs, rinks, tennis, handball and squash facilities, dance halls, billiard parlors, skating paddle bowling alleys, health spas and clubs and uses normally accessory and incidental to commercial recreation, such as locker rooms, eating and drinking facilities and retail sale of goods associated with the particular activity. Laundry or dry-cleaning plants Fraternal or social institutional offices or meeting halls ( nonprofit). Take- out restaurants

Drinking

establishments

Automobile laundries

Public garages, gas stations & sales Partial service gasoline stations Private

service

transportation

including garage

and maintenance

Formula food restaurants

Flea markets Retail stores in

excess

of 8, 000 square feet

Accessorv Uses

Accessory apartments Outdoor storage

Marine I (MI) District The purpose of the Marine I (MI) District is to provide a waterfront location for a limited range of water- dependent and water-related uses, which are those uses which require or

benefit from direct

access

within the Town' s tidal creeks

location in marine natural

tidal waters but which

are

located

coves.

Permitted Uses

One- family detached

date of adoption

dwelling

per

single

and separate lot of record in existence

of the

of this article.

docking, mooring and accommodation of recreational or commercial including the sale of fuel and oil primarily for the use of boats accommodated in

Marinas for the boats,

such marinas.

slips, piers or wharves fishing or shell fishing.

Boat docks,

Chapter

Inventory

for

pleasure

fishing trips

for vessels

engaged

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Boat yards for

building, storing, repairing, renting, selling or servicing boats, w/ accessory office for the sale of marine equipment or products, dockside facilities for dispensing of fuel and, where pump- out stations are provided, rest room and laundry facilities to serve overnight patrons. Boat and marine engine repair and sales and display, yacht brokers and marine insurance brokers. Town and District

Retail sale/ rental

buildings fishing/ diving/bathing

supplies

if accessory

marina/chandlery

Bv Special Exception

clubs & accessory uses e. g. pools, tennis courts, racquetball Beachlyacht/boat Mariculture/ aquaculture operations & research and development

Development potential In 1994, the Fishers Island Growth Plan noted that Fishers Island contained approximately 1, 000 building lots. The 1994 Plan determined that an additional 77 building lots could be created under the

housing

units

zoning regulations.

now

Island-wide, there

in existence with several

Of the buildable lots

planned

the East End, 214 remained

are

approximately

500 residential

for construction in the next few years.

unimproved.

2- 12 Build-able and Sub- dividable Land shows denotes land that may be built on or further subdivided for building purposes. This map was generated using the Town' s GIS

Map

database to

identify land deemed build-able and/or further subdividable pursuant to the zoning and subdivision regulations. However, this map is not an accurate reflection of the development potential of land on the East End. For that reason, FIDCO was asked to provide an estimate of its residential growth potential which differs from the Town' s GIS estimate. The estimate is based on FIDCO' s current policies and observed trends and was provided by William Ridgway to the Stakeholders in September 2006. See Chapter 7 Appendix for copy of full text. Town' s

Of the 398 lots identified are

the Olmsted Plan, 176 have residences. Some of the residences

accompanied by caretakers' cottages on the same or an adjoining lot which is within the ownership as the main house. Some estates encompass more than one lot.

same

Of the 222 lots within the Olmsted Plan that are still vacant ( 55% of the 398), thirty-one 31) are not considered build able. Fifty-eight ( 58) ( or 22%) of these vacant lots are parts of estates and may contain accessory structures such as caretakers' cottages, pools, gardens, etc. These lots

integral part of a larger compound, thus are not likely to be broken-off from the estate. Of the remaining 133 lots, 27 remain in FIDCO' s ownership. The rest, 106, are in private hands. Some of these lots have factors that auger against their development. But, clearly some of these lots contain some potential for future development on the East End. are

considered

The issue of whether any lots within the Olmsted Plan would be affected by the Town' s merger law was reviewed briefly and determined to be a topic requiring legal research

outside the scope of this report. FIDCO itself does not have

Chapter

Inventory

formal

policy on the merging

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

unmerging of lots within the Olmsted Plan, but it has a policy of encouraging the preservation of land, and the consolidation of smaller and less- build able lots in keeping with the Island' s goal of minimizing future seasonal population growth. or

Land set aside for the purposes of environmental protection includes land with wells, water supply ponds, wetlands, etc. Other land held by FIDCO includes that encompassed within the Fishers Island Country Club including the Links ( golf course). Although not defined as a "

lot", this land,

along with that used for beaches, tennis courts, clubhouse, shooting club, integral to the Olmsted ParklEast End! experience, thus not likely to be for residential development.

etc. is considered

sold

In the past FIDCO has sold building lots as a source of income to cover property taxes and other expenditures. The Corporation' s income/ expenditure has been balanced for several years and it currently maintains a policy of not selling any of its undeveloped land. Sources: Town of Southold, LWRP, 2004 and Kathy Parsons, President, FIDCO, verbal

communication, Stakeholder A review of

permits

building permits

had been issued for

status of the

meeting of September 2006.) issued between 1994 and 2006 revealed that

new

dwellings

and three for demolition.

total of 39

The location and

construction ( whether started and

completed or not) is not known. Source: John Sepenoski, Technical Coordinator II, E- Mail, February 7, 2007). But the rate, slightly more than three new dwellings per year, remains slightly lower than the three to six per year that was noted in the years prior to 1994. ( Fishers Island Growth Plan new

Committee, 1994, pp 3, 26).

The Island' s

development potential is not limited to residential growth. The Fort Wright area includes abandoned military buildings that are ripe for redevelopment. Additionally, some of the business- zoned areas contain properties that could be redeveloped. As noted earlier, in Development Constraints, there are few utility-based impediments to expanded commercial growth. Finally, the 66. 9 acre U. S. Navy property and the 44. 6 acre Hay Harbor Golf Club are the two largest potential sources of land for future development. The Navy property is zoned R-400 ( equivalent to ten acre zoning) and if subdivided would yield fewer than seven residential building lots. If the Navy property were to be declared surplus, there is a specified disposal process which enables the Town to engage in a dialogue about the property' s use and ownership. The Town could ask for the land to be ceded for public purposes. The Hay Harbor property is in private hands and its R- 120 ( three acre) zoning could result in a potential yield of fifteen or fewer homes.

Land Preservation As of December 2006,

hundred and four

parcels encompassing more than 830 acres, of Fishers Island' s 3, 200 acres have been preserved from development: nearly 26% of the total. The bulk of the land preservation on the Island has been achieved through donations of land and conservation easements to the Henry R. Ferguson Museum by Chapter 5: Inventory

one

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

private property

owners

2007-

20/7

and FIDCO. The Town is the third

largest

holder of preserved

land. A map showing all protected lands, by category, is included here as Map 2 - 13 Protected Lands. It should be noted that the land surrounding Elizabeth Airfield is owned by the Town of Southold and is shown as protected, yet, in actuality, significant parts of this land are regularly leased for use by private businesses for commercial purposes.

The Town

is in contract to

purchase an additional 2.4 acres of land located on Silver Eel Cove using the Community Preservation Program Plan ( CPPP) fund, also known as the two- percent transfer tax. Other targeted properties are shown on the CPPP Map, which is included here as Map 12- 14. Only the properties shown on the CPPP Map Since all expenditures of CPPP funds must may be purchased using CPPP funds. currently

demonstrate clear

public benefit, the funds may be used for the acquisition of land, including purchase of development rights, These funds also may be used for historic preservation and environmental remediation, but only on properties that have been acquired using CPPP funds. The Town Board' s policy has been to concentrate on the acquisition offarmland and environmentally sensitive open space. the

Table: Land

preserved from development parcels Acreage Fishers Island Dev Corp, 46 372. 21 L Museum Inc, 46 273. 54 Henry Ferguson Owner #

Town of South old,

184. 8

Total

104

830. 52

An additional 67.07

earlier, it is not

acres

protected,

of land is still owned

the U. S. government. As noted but in the event the federal government declares it surplus

property, the Islanders could ask that this land be ceded to the Town for

public

purposes.

DemOl!raDhics There is

fairly

detailed

statistics,

body

of information about Fishers Island'

the Islanders'

vital and social

about the size of the year- round population. reflecting The economic and social ramifications of population size in a very small community such as

Fishers Island

excerpted

are

felt

quickly.

concerns

A brief review of the available data is

from various other reports, which have been included

presented here,

reference in this

report. 1. Census Data and

Analysis by the

Census data has been collected census

data counts

people

United States government since 1790. As a rule, was their permanent and primary

who stated that the island

residence, but it also would include

military personnel residing

their

the island

part of

military service. Records show the year- round population of the Island grew from in 389 1900 to approximately 700 in 1930, a figure which did not include military Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

personnel, but does include the lighthouse keepers on Henry L. Ferguson Museum, Exhibit, September 2007) The next Table shows Census data from] 940

through

the

surrounding

2005. There

is] ands.( Source:

are no

data available

for] 950. Table:

Population Change:

1940 - 2005

Population Change

Census Year

Sources:

1940 - 1980 Historical Pooulation of Long Island Communities 1790- 1980: Decennial Census Data. Long Island Regional Planning Board, Hauppauge, NY, August 1982 1990 School District Soecial Tabulation, New York State Department of Education 2000 Table DP- 1. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000. U.S. Census Bureau 2005

Population Survey, Long Island Power Authority, 2005

It should be noted here that

some

2000 U. S. Census data due to

is that the

stakeholders voiced

shoddy

about the accuracy of the data collection methods. The

concerns

incomplete

data undercounted the actual numbers of people on opinion the island. Since ] 997, a separate unofficial count has been maintained. This count is based on local knowledge of who is considered to be living on the island as a permanent or year- round resident at the time of the count. consensus

census

comparison of the unofficial count with the U. S. Census count reveals, at most, a difference of twenty people in the year 2000, with the unofficial count being lower than the U. S. Census data. Since there will always be a fluctuation in the population due to

ongoing deaths, births and migration patterns, both in and a snapshot of the moment in which it was collected.

out,

all

population

data reflects

The two different sets of unofficial statistics kept for the years 200] - 2003 differ from the 2000 count by minus ten to plus twenty - a difference of thirty people. For the purposes

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

By contrast, the long term trend on Fishers Island is towards continuing decline in population. As seen in the Census data above, the 2000 population represents a 49.5 percent decline since 1940. The slight up tick estimated to have occurred since 2000 mayor may not be significant. of this

contrast, the seasonal

increase is are

it is assumed that the short- term trend is indeterminate.

study,

population

seems

to have increased

matter of some debate. Various estimates have been

steadily, although

the

put forth, two of which

mentioned here.

The Suffolk summer

County Department population in

seasonal

Planning

resort

uses

areas.

standard

multiplier for estimating

However, those estimates seemed to

provided by the Stakeholders, FIDCO and the Utility Company. reviewing County Planning Department staff subsequently revisited its assumptions as they pertained to Fishers Island. The new estimate is five ( 5) additional guest persons per year- round housing unit. Using this factor, the total additional seasonal population is estimated to be 2, 338 persons. ( Source: Peter K. Lambert, Principal Planner, Suffolk County Department of Planning, April 2006) undercount the various estimates

the data, the

After

The seasonal Robert Wall,

population is estimated by the utility company to peak around 3, 000. April 3, 2006 letter to the New York State Public Service Commission). A

copy of this letter is in the Reference Binder. An examination of the

population and housing

statistics for Fishers Island

provides community. In 1987, of 464 residential units in existence, 89% were single family dwellings; an estimated 73% of which were used seasonally. The year-round population was 285 people; but during the summer months, between the months of May and October, the summer population was estimated to reach about 2, 000. House guests and visitors increased this population dramatically, sometimes doubling this seasonal population. ( The Trust for Public Land, 1987, p2). ( As quoted in LWRP, Section J. Reach 10, p 2.) additional

The

back

insight

summer

resort

about the size of the year-round population can be traced as far the 1988 Growth Plan and in the earlier Trust for Public Land reports,

continuing as

into the nature of the

concern

particularly after the

year- round

population dropped by more than

31 % between the years

1970 and 1980. The median age of Fishers Island' s year round data, is 43 years. The male/female ratio is

population, according

to 2000 U.S. Census

The average nearly 2. 2. household, with size 72. household size is 09 persons per Nearly 28% family higher, of the population is aged 55 years or more. The bulk of the Island' s population, 36. 8 %, is even (

51.2/ 48. 8).

between 34 and 54 years of age, and absent a significant out- migration of retirees; this points to the potential for the average age of the Island population to continue to inch upward unless there is an infusion of younger people.

Chapter

Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

School

Population population has been studied extensively by the Fishers Island School Board in its draft Long Range Planning document. The next table shows the school enrollment relative to the size of the year- round population since 1940. The table includes " magnet" or off-Island students, which typically compose about a third of the student body. ( These The school

numbers do not include Island students ( K- I2) who attend schools off-island.) decline in the

Census Year

on- Island

school

population

Year-round

reflects that of the year-round

School enrollment

population

Island students

population.

Off- island students

1940

572

151

1950

1960

508

100

1970

462

104

1980

318

1990

360

2000

289

2005

293

2007

The

151

Sources: U. S. Census and Fishers Island School)

School Services

The school has

strong track record scholastically. (100% Regents Diploma rate, post- secondary placement rate and a zero drop- out rate.) The school attempts to the Island'

100%

counter

insularity through various outreach programs, including the Magnet program, are described in Superintendent Schultz' s notes, a copy of which is included Chapter 7 Appendix. s

all of which in

While the

geographic

isolation of the Island, the

technological

barriers to better

use

of the

Internet and the small student

body pose difficult limitations on the efforts of school personnel to expand and enrich educational opportunities for the students, a significant degree of community support and assistance is being channeled towards overcoming these limitations. The

existing

school

building

was

described

being " comfortable"

for 70 to 85 students.

If enrollment increases, additional space will be needed. The conversion of the bowling alley building ( after the alleys are moved to Building # 98) will free up space next to the

school

building.

The school

owns

additional land which would be available for further

expansIOn.

The school is

significant employer: with nineteen (19) full time and four ( 4) part time staff for a total of twenty- three ( 23) people, of which twelve (12) are Island residents ( ten full time and 2 part time). The school also owns and maintains seven affordable housing units within walking distance. a

Chapter 5: Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Social Services

The purpose of this section is to describe the types of human services provided to residents of Fishers Island. Most, but not all, of the services are provided through existing Town and County agencies. These services may supplement or interface with

quasi- public, private, and community organizations based on the Island.

the efforts of other

non-

profit

entities,

including

churches and

I. Senior Services

Medicare Part D

phone

and fax-based

has been

counseling

provided

since

by request of the Town' s Human Resources Department The Senior Lunch program is supported by churches and community groups on the Island. ( It is not funded by the Federal Older American' s Act Nutrition 2005

Programs,

the Town

the

Two senior aide

Office

positions for Aging.

County). were

funded

the Town

through Suffolk County

The aides assisted seniors to live

with

transportation to Connecticut shopping, and other home-based assistance. This program provided funds sufficient for

food

independently by assisting for medical appointments,

week per aide. This service was funded and used in 2005.

was

funded but not used

during

2006.

up to twelve hours per

Accordingly

it has not been

funded for 2007. o

Resumption of this service in the Karen McLaughlin, Director,

future

can

Human

arranged by contacting

Resources

Department,

Southold, 2.

Proposed

Senior Services

For several years, Suffolk County' s Office for the Aging has contracted with the Island Health Project to provide Personal Emergency Response System PERS) services to the frail elderly on Fishers Island. The Island Health

Project

subcontracts with

provider for this

service.

The Southold Human Resource Center is

vehicle to centers in

provide

essential off-island

seeking funding to purchase a transportation to doctors and treatment

Connecticut.

For the last five years,

Suffolk

County

has advocated for

reciprocal

agreement for the provision of Certified Home Health Care covered under Medicare between Connecticut and New York. Thus far, no agreement has been reached. Source:

and

Town of Southold, Human Resources

Department,

October 2006

January 2007)

3. Youth Bureau

This Bureau

Chapter 5: Inventory

was

formed in 2007. No additional information

was

available.

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Housin!! The 2000 U. S. Census data, ( included in the Reference Binder), describes Fishers Island' s housing stock as numbering 625 units, of which 138 ( 22 %) are occupied and the rest ( 78%) either vacant or for seasonal use. The

detached

Attached

family housing. comprise the rest of the housing housing stock predates 1939. Slightly more than owner occupied. The rest is rental housing. It is

interesting

majority ( 88. 6%) ofthis stock is single-

multiple units ( with up to nine units in a structure) stock. Sixty- three percent ( 392) of Fishers Island' s

to note

56% of Fishers Island' s

housing stock is

that in The Trust for Public Land' s 1987 report, of the 464 were single family dwellings, of which 73% were

residential units in existence, 89% estimated to be used

seasonally.

the seasonal about 2, 000

people;

The year round population was estimated to be 285 LWRP, Section II. J. Reach 10- p2.) Today,

or more. (

twenty years later, the year- round population has climbed a bit and the seasonal been estimated by the Fishers Island Utility Company to be closer to 3, 000.

peak has

The Stakeholders put together a 2006 inventory of housing occupied by the year-round population, and it can be found in the Reference Binder. This inventory includes one hundred fourteen ( 114) households/ families, of which

sixty-one ( 61)

53%

own

their

of residence. This inventory' s estimate is lower than, but still very close to the 2000 U.S. Census count, noted earlier. This estimate also is in line with that identified in

place

another

housing study prepared for the Fishers Island School. ( Report to the Fishers Preliminary Housing Report, Cynthia Riley,

Island School Board, November 25, 2002, pages 3- 6; the noted pages

are

included in the Reference

Binder.)

The Stakeholders recounted from personal knowledge the homes that had been sold on the West End in recent years by year- round residents to seasonal people. They noted that there has not been a corresponding gain in new year-round construction on the West End,

leading to the concern that the percentage of the be increasing.

year- round

population being forced

rent may

A review of

building permits issued between 1994 and 2006 revealed that a total of 39 permits were issued for new dwellings and three were issued for demolition. However, this data did not identify the location and status of the new construction ( whether started and completed or not) is not known. ( Source: Southold Town Building Department data as interpreted by John Sepenoski, Technical Coordinator II, February 7, 2007). 1. Affordable

Housing

There is considerable

Overview

concern

about the loss of year- round

market. This trend is related not

housing

stock to the seasonal

only the decline in the year- round population, but also Island residents to compete in the housing market against off-

to the

inability of some Island people with higher incomes. This

situation mirrors the

housing problem

the

Mainland, where year- round residents can' t compete with up- Islanders and Manhattanites for housing because of the high demand for seasonal homes and the significant income

disparities.

Chapter

Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

One indicator of the cost of housing

the Island relative to income is the percentage of housing. According to the 2000 U. S.

income that is spent on the monthly costs of that Census, more than 27% of the Island' s households

of their income

monthly

of renters More than II % more

than 13%

of thumb is that

were

spending

were

no more

their home spent 35%

owning

or more

ownership. The percentages for renters are similar. spending 35% or more of household income on rent, and

costs of

between 30 and 34. 9 % of their income

than

one- third

rent. The rule

household' s income should be spent

percentage of owners and renters paying 30% or more of their income for shelter was equivalent to about 25% of the year- round occupied In 2000, the

shelter.

monthly

units. In actual numbers, this translates into 33 out of 135 households. The Island has twenty- one affordable housing units, ten of which are owned and eleven of which are rented. Fourteen of these units are single- family residences, the rest are

apartments within are

located

units

two

multifamily structures.

land owned

located

Twelve of the

Walsh Park Benevolent

land owned

single-family Corporation, WPBC.

residences The other

the Fishers Island School District and the

Utility units account for about 3% of the Island' s total Company. Altogether these twentyhousing stock, ( assuming the 2000 US Census estimate of 625 units) and about 15% of the year- round occupied units ( which was assumed to be 138). are

one

housing is managed by the Walsh Park Benevolent Corporation, WPBC, which screens applicants according to a set of criteria which include: a demonstrated need for housing assistance, recommendations from employers and others, commitment to working on the Island and a record of service to the community.

All of the Island'

affordable

In response to the need, the WPBC is experimenting with incentives such as establishing an inventory of rental housing that would be leased to people wishing to sample year-

round life also is

Fishers Island in the

engaged

stay permanently. WPBC

in discussions with the Fishers Island School District about

additional affordable

interested in

hopes of attracting them

gifting

housing

district land. It continues to seek out land

either their property

money and tax deductions in order to

their homes to WPBC for

expand

the

pool

of affordable

creating owners

combination of

housing options.

following question " What are supply the... and demand projections ( for affordable housing) for the next 20 years, and what are the underlying assumptions for those projections?" it received this answer: When the Stakeholders asked the WPBC the

Walsh Park' s

supports

our

approach

supply

contention that

and demand is based

we are

unlikely

ever

to meet

19 years

of experience

that

the full demand potential and

consistently been able to of units. In addition, full occupancy. during this period, the cost of non- Walsh Park housing is likely up two to three fold, which we believe is faster than the growth of average island income growth. Further, assuming that the total year round population is 275 people and that an average offour people lives in each dwelling, which would imply that 80 houses are needed to sustain today' s level in the future. While this is a guesstimate, it must be urgently noted that virtually any of the houses owned by year round families, when sold, will not be bought by year round families, as the year round seller has and will continue maximizing their that

we must

continue to add units.

maintain

Chapter 5: Inventory

even as we

Over this time,

have

almost doubled the number

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

sale proceeds via

2007-2017

seasonal

buyers. Finally, while the island desires more year most unlikely that any current or fUture year round families can afford to pay prices, effective set by the demand of seasonal residents. ( Source: Statement, Walsh Park Benevolent Corporation, September 2006) selling

round families, the factors mentioned make it

It should be noted that this

projection, of an additional sixty residences over the current twentypopulation remaining stable at 275 people. It points towards a year-round working class population with little or no opportunity of obtaining equity in their place of residence. one,

is based

Housing

the Island

Services

The Town offers different types of direct housing assistance; subsidies and home improvement grants. These are described below, briefly. a)

Section 8

Section 8 is

federal

housing voucher program whereby financial subsidies are provided eligible applicants to help pay for rental housing. The funds are disbursed at the local level. This housing program enables eligible applicants to pay higher rents than they normally would be able to pay relative to their income. Application may be made through the North Fork Housing Alliance by phone or in person. Eligible applicants are given vouchers as they become available. Being placed on the list does not guarantee receipt of a voucher. But, the number of eligible applicants on a list influences the number of a

vouchers the Town receives. 1996

the last year during which there of a Section 8 voucher.

was

Fishers Island

recipient Eligibility requirements

and application guidelines are included in the Reference Binder ( Town of Southold Affordable Housing Programs Policies and Procedures, July 2006 and North Fork Housing Alliance, Section 8 Application and Income Guidelines.)

Source: 2007

Telephone Conversations, January 31, 2007 and February 15, with Tanya Palmore, Executive Director, North Fork Housing

Alliance. )

b) Home Improvement

Financial assistance is

provided for home repairs and upgrading, e. g. general repairs, kitchen upgrades. be made through the North Fork Housing Alliance by

additions,

roofing, Application may phone or in person. If loan is granted to property

owner, an

property in lieu of repayment. If loan is granted to a landlord,

indefinite lien

ten- year lien

can

placed

the the

property for half the value of the loan. Source:

Telephone

Conversations,

January

31, 2007 and

with Tanya Palmore, Executive Director, North Fork

Chapter

Inventory

February 15, Housing Alliance.)

2007

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Since 2004, the Town of Southold has

required the creation of affordable housing with each new subdivision plat approved by the Planning Board. At least ten percent and up to twenty five percent of a standard, full yield subdivision must be set aside as permanent affordable housing. Density bonuses are provided for the construction of25% requirement. c)

Southold Town Moderate Housing Program

The

program is designed to create permanent affordable housing. The program is designed to give Town residents with local jobs first priority. The program guidelines are: Town'

moderate

housing

Residency

Population:

Requirem ntsP/ riority

1. Income

eligible

individuals

of Southold for

families who have lived and worked in the Town the

application

eligible individuals or families who have lived in the Town period of at least one (1) year prior to application submission.

of Southold

period

of at least

one (

year

prior

submission. 2.

Income

for 3.

Income

eligible individuals or families who have worked in the Town of a period of at least one (1) year prior to application submission.

Southold for 4.

Income

eligible

Southold for 5.

Other income

individuals

families who

minimum of one

(

previously

lived in the Town of

year and wish to return.

eligible applicants.

Asset Limitations: I.

You may not own property ( including vacant land the ground) and,

Your total net worth cannot be greater than 25% of the home ( if applicable).

Total net worth of

Liquid

applicants

assets shall not

shall include all

or a

liquid

mobile home secured to

purchase price

of the

assets less debt.

Note:

include sheltered assets, trusts, Individual Retirement

Accounts, 401K' s and other

federally recognized

tax- deferred vehicles.

d) Proposed Housing Services: J;>Suffolk

County' s Office for Economic Development and Workforce Housing SC- OEDWH) is seeking to assist Walsh Park Benevolent Corporation WPBC)with funding for future initiatives o

Discussions

were

held with Frank Burr of WPBC and Marian Zucker,

Director of Affordable

Housing, Suffolk County Office for Economic Development Housing, on August 9, 2006, during Town Board' s Fishers Island trip J;>The Town of Southold' s Human Resources Department ( TS- HRD) would assist on behalf of WPBC to obtain funding through the Suffolk County Legislature. J;>TS- HRD provided WPBC with a copy of its recently adopted Town of Southold Affordable Housing Policies and Procedures Manual, which and Workforce

Chapter

Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

includes

2007- 2017

formula to

improvement policy,

affordability

ensure

etc.

well

resale,

permanent fixed

the Town of Southold

Housing Needs

Assessment of2005. A copy of the Manual is included in the Reference Binder. Source: Town of Southold Dept. Human Resources, November 2006) 3.

Accessory Apartments

The Town' s

Code allows,

Zoning

by Special Exception from the Zoning Board of

Appeals, the creation of accessory apartments in single-family residences within the following zoning districts on Fishers Island: by Special Exception of the Zoning Board of Appeals:

R- 40, R- 120, R- 400, Hamlet

apartment in these APARTMENT -

zones

is defined

Density

and Limited Business.

An accessory

follows:

entirely self-contained dwelling unit consisting of a minimum of 450 containing complete housekeeping facilities for only one family, domestic servants including any employed on the premises and having no enclosed space other than vestibules, entrance hallways or porches, or cooking or sanitary facilities in common with any other dwelling unit and/or " apartment." [ Added 6- 19- 1990 by L.L. No. 13- 1990] ( Section square feet of

living

area

280- 13 B. ( 13)).

In order to obtain

Special Exception

the property

family dwelling,

owner

place

accessory

must meet the

apartment in

existing one-

following requirements:

The accessory apartment shall be located in the

The

owner

The

existing one- family dwelling shall contain not less than

principal building.

of the

existing dwelling shall occupy one of the dwelling units as the owner's principal residence. The other dwelling unit shall be leased for year- round occupancy, evidenced by a written lease for a term of one or more years. floor

1, 600 square feet oflivable

area.

The accessory apartment shall contain not less than 450 square feet oflivable floor

The accessory apartment shall not exceed 40% of the livable floor dwelling unit.

A minimum of three off-street

Not

The accessory apartment shall meet the 280- 4 hereof.

The exterior entry to the accessory apartment shall, to the maximum extent retain the existing exterior appearance of a one- family dwelling.

one

the

existing

provided.

permitted on a

lot.

requirements of a dwelling

existing building, except

of the

for

access to

unit

defined in

possible,

the apartment, shall

foundation.

The certificate of compliance shall terminate upon the transfer of title by the owner or upon the owner ceasing to occupy one of the dwelling units as the owner's principal residence. In the event of an

owner's

may continue in occupancy until

Chapter

spaces shall be

accessory apartment shall be

All exterior alterations to the be made

than

parking

area

area.

Inventory

demise, the occupant of an accessory apartment shall occupy the balance of the dwelling

a new owner

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-

20/7

year from date of said demise, whichever shall first L.L.No. 6- 1993]

or one

by I)

All conversions shall be

occnr. [ Amended

5- 20- 1993

subject to the inspection of the Building Inspector and renewal annually. [ Amended 5- 20- 1993 by L.L.No. 6- 1993]

of the certificate of occupancy m)

The

building which is

and have

occupancy

converted to permit an accessory apartment shall be in existence valid certificate of occupancy issued prior to January I, 1984, or proof of

prior to that date. [ Amended

5- 20- 1993

L.L.No. 6- 1993]

The

existing building, together with the accessory apartment, shall comply with requirements of Chapter 280 of the Town Code of the Town of Southold.

Notwithstanding the provisions of ~280- 13B hereof, no site plan approval by the Planning Board shall be required for the establishment of an accessory apartment.

Approval by the Suffolk County Department sewage disposal systems shall be required.

No bed-and- breakfast facilities,

permitted

Added 3- 14- 1989 Town Code,

Only one

authorized

for which

or on

premises by L.L.No.

Chapter 280- 13.

of Health Services of the water

by ~ 280- 13B( 14)

all other

supply

and

hereof, shall be

accessory apartment is authorized

exists.

3- 1989]

B. ( 13)

accessory apartment has been created

through

this program.

In the Hamlet Business ( HB) and General Business ( B) districts, accessory apartments are permitted as of right (meaning the Building Department can issue the permit directly)

provided the property owner meets the following requirements: 2) Apartments

are

permitted within the principal building only, subject

to the

following

requirements: a)

b) c)

The

Building Department issuing an accessory apartment permit.

The habitable floor There shall be

area

no more

of each apartment shall be at least 350 square feet.

than three apartments created

maintained in any

single

structnre.

d) Each apartment shall have at least e)

one

off-street

parking

space.

Construction

andlorremodeling of an existing structure to create an accessory apartment trigger the need for site plan approval set forth specifically in ~ 280- 127 and Article XXIV in general unless such construction or remodeling results in an increase of shall not

the foundation size of the structure.

t) The apartment( s) Source: Town Code,

shall not

Chapter 280- 45.

Permanent affordable

The Town Code also Affordable

permits

Housing District,

Chapter 5: Inventory

comprise more

than 40% ofthe

principal building.

2), and 280- 48. C. ( 3) C. (

housing

the

by petition to the Town Board) to an contains specific provisions to ensure the permanent

change

which

zone (

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

affordability

of land and

dwelling units. As noted in the Town Code, these districts shall be located in " appropriate and desirable locations for affordable housing. Such locations include, but are not limited to: land within Hamlet Locus Zones, as may be determined by the Town Board; land within

walking distance of services, shops, schools, and public transportation; adjoins existing centers of business and residential development as opposed to land adjoining farm and open fields); and other locations where the project has been shown to meet a demonstrable need." ( Town Code, Chapter 280- 26) land that

The AHD

zoning permits the following types of dwellings: single- family detached, owner- occupied two- family dwellings, multiple and row or attached dwellings, and one accessory apartment per dwelling up to 50 % of the dwellings in the AHD district. A copy of the AHD legislation is included in the Reference Manual.

Additionally, every new standard residential subdivision that results in the creation of five or more new building lots shall comply with the requirements herein to provide affordable housing: 1]

Twenty-five percent ofthe lot yield shall be set aside

moderate- income

determined pursuant to ~ 240- 10B( 2)( a) and ( b) family dwelling units ( MIFDU),as defined, created

and administered under the

through

provisions of the Affordable Housing District, ~~ 280- 24 280- 33 of this Code. Each MIFDU shall be created subject to covenants and

restrictions

forth at ~ 280- 30 or through another mechanism approved by the Town keep units perpetually affordable. The number of MIFDU units required in

set

Board that will

subdivision shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

In satisfaction ofthe

applicant

shall be

requirement to create 25% MIFDU units, the standard subdivision required to construct no less than 10% of the total yield as MIFDU units

in the subdivision. All subdivisions shall have at least

the subdivision. The the following ways: a]

remaining required

units shall be

one

constructed MIFDU unit within

provided by the applicant

in any of

The

applicant may construct dwelling units in the subdivision equal in number to the remaining percentage, thereby providing a total of 25% of the yield of the subdivision as MIFDU units. If this option is chosen, the applicant will receive an increased density of one additional lot per MIFDU lot created in excess of 10% under this

option. The

additional lots shall be built in the subdivision and shall be

MIFDU units. For each additional lot created

as part of the increased density shall pursuant option, developer pay a sum representing the cost of development rights equal to the number of additional units created. This sum shall be set annually by Town Board resolution and shall be based on the average cost of

this

the

development rights purchased by the Town in the previous year. The resolution in effect at the time of the preliminary plat hearing shall determine the sum to be paid under this section. This amount shall be paid to the Community Preservation Fund to be used according to the terms of the Fund. Alternatively, in lieu of payment, the developer may extinguish an equivalent number of development rights on another parcel in Town, in a form approved by the Town Attorney. b] The

shall pay a sum to the Town of Southold Housing Fund. The sum shall the number of required MIFDU lots not constructed in the subdivision.

applicant

be based

The per unit

Chapter 5: Inventory

sum

shall be set

annually by resolution

of the Town Board and shall

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

consider factors such

the average cost of building lots and costs of construction in

the Town of Southold. The

applicant may provide property with development rights equal to the number of required MIFDU units not constructed in the subdivision, to the Town of Southold Housing Fund, North Fork Housing Alliance, Community Land Trust of Southold Town, or other similar organization approved by the Town Board for the sole purpose of developing affordable housing on the site. The property must be acceptable to the recipient as a viable site for affordable housing development, and proof of same must be provided to the Planning Board during preliminary plat

the

review. d] If the

option provided

in Subsection B( 2)( c

)[ 2]

[ b]

or [ c]

build any remaining allowed lots in the subdivision, and be MIFDU units.

is chosen, the

they shall

Source: Town Code:

Community Services Fishers Island provides

profit

and church

applicant may required to

not be

Chapter 240- 10

B/ ( 2) (

wide range of community services, primarily through its nonorganizations. A review of the Fishers Island Community Board' s a

Annual

Reports provides a general idea of the range and Island. The newest addition to this list is described here.

depth

of services available

the

Fishers Island Community Center ( FICC) In 2003,

Community Center Committee was formed to explore the concept of creating a community center on Fishers Island as a key element in both the retention and increase of a viable year-round population. A survey of the seasonal and year-round residents led to the decision to create a year- round center containing a workout room, meeting and gathering rooms, a youth and senior center and a kitchen. FIDCO agreed to lease Building # 98 for this purpose, and to initiate a fundraising campaign a

The Committee will work

closely with the school

to create

campus

setting, by installing

links between the Center, the school, the public tennis and basketball courts, an exercise path and the school' s waterfront property, which may be placed under easement and used for

future

outdoor research

area.

It is

hoped

improvements of the waterside

that revitalization of this

area

west

building

will stimulate

of Silver Eel Cove.

plans for the FICC include collaboration with Fishers Island School for a videodistance learning center for educational and town business, and possibly, an indoor pool at the school ( a priority in all the surveys.) Fundraising started in 2006 and renovations began during 2007. A copy of the Island Community Center Campus Map is included in Future

the Reference Binder. The Mainland

small percentage of the community services offered on the Island. The Southold Town Recreation Department provides recreational services and opportunities for youth and adults. The Recreation Department does not have a direct

presence

provides

the Island, but has

Chapter 5: Inventory

provided equipment for the softball league. 54

Sports

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

equipment also has been provided for

the Island

Peoples Project. Kenneth

Reeves,

Director, has offered to sponsor a free youth basketball program. ( Kenneth. Reeves, Director, Recreation Department, March 2007, E- mail correspondence) for the

design and construction of a Fitness Trail was obtained through a private funds. The Department of Public Works coordinated the grant application for public funds and will oversee the trail' s construction during 2007 on a portion of Town land west of The Parade Grounds closest to the Fishers Island School. A copy of the Trail proposal and map is included in the Reference Binder. Funding

combination of public and

In March 2007, the Town

agreed

to form

Youth Bureau.

this Bureau, Fishers Island should communicate its needs

During the development of and petition for services and

funding under this program.

Transportation It goes without saying that

transportation services

Island. The Island'

critically important to Fishers shaped by the quality and nature of its

are

s economy and social fabric are A clear understanding of the nature of that network is essential network. transportation for future decisionmaking affecting the Island.

Earlier, mention

made in the section

dealing with Public Services and Facilities about the Emergency Management Plan. This plan is of critical importance for the safety of all Island residents and visitors and should be reviewed on a regular basis in response to changing conditions on and off the Island. was

1. Roads

Maintenance of the

public road network on the West End is under the jurisdiction of the Highway Department. There is one Highway Department employee on the Maintenance issues have to be brought to the attention of the Mainland on a

Town' s island.

regular basis. 2.

Ferry

The District's

priority is safe and efficient operation and maintenance of the ferry service between the Island and New London. The District retains a staff of seven, six of which are Islanders. As with the other utilities, the provision of off-season service is subsidized by the peak season service. In response to the question whether the existing service could be enhanced basing of one boat on the Island overnight, the District responded as follows:

The

Ferry

District Board

circumstances.

through the

dismiss any subject on a permanent basis under any charged with providing transportation of goods. services

can never

The District is

and people to andfrom Fishers Island and New London. The District service based

Fishers

was

formed when

the

It should be noted

privately ownedferry Islandfailedjinancially. that the ferries are based on the mainland where the infrastructure for the maintenance services and the staffing are located. The idea ofbasing a ferry on the Island is brought up Chapter

Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

The conversation

usually ends when the requirements of operation are discussed in detail. Without at least doubling the District' s budget ( resulting in much higher fares and taxes), such a contemplation is not possible. The District cannot require the crew members to live on the Island, and as of the most recent informal survey, there seems to be little support amongst the crew members for making a move to the Island. Additionally, the District hires a large number ofpart time help during the summer season. There is no pool of candidates present on the Island either for part time help or forfull time crew members. If one were to actually propose a boat based on the Island, a minimum

periodically.

requirement would be

captains and

8 houses.

there

crew

members domiciled

houses and

the Island in

members approximately Currently coincidently willing to consider such a move. " ( Memo to Stakeholders, Fishers Island Ferry District, September 2006. The full memo is included in Chapter 7 Appendix.) As noted earlier, in the subsection

District ( FIFO)

are no

no crew

Management Structure, the Fishers Island Ferry has jurisdictional authorities and responsibilities that go beyond that of

service between Fishers Island and the port of New London. These powers include management of nearly 186 acres of Town land, of which 7. 5 acres lie immediately adjacent to the ferry dock on Silver Eel Cove. The remainder of

owning, operating

the land,

178.4

and

acres,

managing ferry

surrounds Elizabeth Airfield, the

also lies with FIFO

operation and maintenance of which responsibility. The legislation creating the FIFO land within its jurisdiction to private enterprises for

and

jurisdiction explicitly granted authority to lease commercial purposes.

In 2006, the FIFO held fourteen business leases for structural space or land within its jurisdiction. The leases typically run yearly, although some run for as long as three years.

All leases 48. 060

were

renewed in the

yearly). (

Source:

2007)

Income from leases

District

sees

spring of 2006. Monthly lease income for 2006 was $ 4,005 Doherty, Manager, Fishers Island Ferry District, March is deposited into the District' s general fund for use as the

Tom

fit.The leases and rates

are

included in the Reference Binder.

The leases may be granted for the use of land or structures or both. Leases are tailored to individual business needs and are subject to public notice, hearing and input prior to be

application procedure or protocol defining who and which applications are accepted and allowed to move forward to the public notice stage. The District's policy is to award leases to those lessees currently holding leases provided they honored the terms of past leases in good faith. Next in- line is established on- Island businesses. Currently there is a waiting list of potential lessees, although the extent and composition of that list was not divulged. The waiting list is a awarding. may apply

recent

However, there is

written

trend.

Lessees with waterfront

Public

access are

responsible

for

maintaining

control

over

that

access.

property under the jurisdiction of the FIFO, e. g. the fishing pier and beaches, is controlled or managed as follows: ferry personnel oversee the pier, and the Bay Constable and State Troopers oversee the beaches and Race Point. access

Camping is

to other waterfront

not

permitted

any town

properties although overnight fishing

waterfront is allowed.

Chapter 5: Inventory

the

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Management of Elizabeth Field is the responsibility of the lessee who has leased the airport building. These responsibilities include maintaining the runway lights, overseeing use of the parking lot, communicating with aircraft during business hours, collecting landing fees and alerting the District of other outstanding items in need of maintenance. Landing fees are twenty- five dollars ($ 25) per landing and those fees are kept by the lessee. The airfield is maintained by the District with assistance from the Federal Aviation Administration 90%), the State of New York ( 5%) and the Town of Southold ( 5%). The

primary priority of the

operation and management of the ferry service. Its landlord activities include overseeing leased properties and enforcing leasing agreements. The FIFD would not object to exploring alternative management options for the other responsibilities imposed on the FIFD by its charter, assuming the Southold Town Board agreed to such changes and assisted in amending the District's charter or responsibilities. Source: Reynolds ( Chippy) duPont Jr., Chairman, Fishers Island Ferry District Board of Commissioners, The

Fishers

August

FIFD is the

17, 2006.)

Island

Ferry District provides the most heavily-used and essential transportation service for the Island. Its jurisdictional responsibilities were discussed earlier in the Management subsection. Although the Fishers Island ferry is the primary means of access for the majority of the Island' s year- round and seasonal residents, it is not the only water service. Many year- round and seasonal residents own their own boats and are comfortable using them to access Connecticut and New York ports of call for personal business. Employers and private operators also provide water taxi services to workers. In on

attempt

to determine how many workers commute from Connecticut to

Fishers Island, the Stakeholders created

their

employers.

Table:

day

knowledge list of workers

based

average work day in 2006. The round ticket sales during 2006. year-

during on

Daily Water-borne

T ransporter: B oat ( B)

E mployer

N ame E)

Pop Eye - B Baby Doll - B

Broom - B

Pirates Cove Marina - E

Steve Malinowski - E

Paul Tombari - E

Emerv Nemeskay - E Tom Ravino - E

Sinclair - E

198 workers

TOTAL (10)

Inventory

statistics

N um b ero fW ork ers per D ay 118 ( average)

Chapter

ferry

Commuter Traffic

Fishers Island Ferry - B

Chip

and

The Table below lists the number of workers that traveled to Fishers

Island from Connecticut average work

a common-

jobs located

average per

day

are an

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

The data in the

table suggests that the Fishers Island

Ferry

accounts

for about

sixty ( 60) percent of the average daily commuter water traffic to and from the Island. This data does not include daily trips taken by parents to deliver children to school offIsland,

personal off-Island trips necessitated by the unavailability of ferry service.

3. Airfield Elizabeth Airfield

by the U. S. Army as part of Fort H. G. Wright. It is owned by the Town and managed by the Ferry District. The Airfield is not subject to the security controls common to larger airports. The District has delegated oversight of the landings and take- offs during daylight hours to the business leasing the building alongside the runway. The lessee is allowed to charge a nominal fee ($ 25. 00) for use of the runway and to keep the money. As best as could be determined, no records are kept oflandings and take- offs, nor an analysis of whether user fees could be brought closer in line with actual maintenance and operations costs. was

constructed

The airfield is

basically a no- frills runway with radio- controlled, night landing lights and a small parking area. No services are provided, such as engine repairs, hangar space, fuel, weather station, pilot' s lounge, indoor waiting area, etc.

Economv There are almost that collected

by the

standard economic statistics available for Fishers Island other than U. S. Census Bureau.

According

to the 2000 U. S. Census, Profile of

Selected Economic Characteristics, 221 Island year- round residents were aged sixteen years or older, of which 165 ( or 74. 7 %) were employed. Of this group, thirteen ( 13) of residents aged sixteen years or older (less than 8%) were self-employed; Twenty- nine 29)

salaried workers in government ( 17. 6%). in the private sector.

were

working

The U. S. Census examines

industry. By occupation

The

remaining

in two different ways: the statistics are as follows:

employment

123, 74. 5%)

by occupation

and then

are

33. 9 % - Service 26. 1 % -

19.4 % 12. 7 % 4. 2 % 3. 6 % -

occupations Management, professional and related occupations Sales and office occupations Construction and maintenance occupations Production, transportation and moving Farming and fishing

By industry the statistics 18. 8 % -

are as

follows:

Education, health and social services

Professional, scientific, management, administrative, waste management 15. 2 % - Arts, entertainment, recreation, accommodation, food services 15. 8 % 9.1 % -

Chapter

Construction

Inventory

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

9. 1 % 7. 9 % -

2007-2017

Retail

Transportation, warehousing, utilities including public administration

7. 9 % - Other, not 6. 1 % -

Public administration

4. 8 % -

Finance, insurance, real estate, rental and

3. 6 % -

Agriculture & fishing

The Census does not shed The Stakeholders

light on the percentage

leasing

of residents that work off-Island.

to further define the nature of the

on- Island

economy, and get an idea of the numbers of off-Island workers. A copy of their Table: Fishers Island Business & Characteristics is included in Chapter 7: Appendix.

attempted

While the table is

incomplete, and preliminary analysis is oflimited value, it does provide interesting information. About sixty- eight ( 68) different businesses are known to operate on the Island. The businesses are most privately owned, with a handful of government employers in the mix. and other facts

Employee

were

available for

only forty-eight ( 48)

of the

sixty-eight ( 68)

businesses noted above.

Of these, thirty-five ( 72. 9%) were considered year-round businesses. And, of these, twenty- five ( 25) own their place of operation; the rest of the businesses are operated out of rented space, the home of the business owner or at the home of the person who has contracted for their services; e. g. house cleaners, massage therapists. Of the businesses owning their place of operation, seventeen of the twenty five

are

year- round

operations,

Although this table

the rest seasonal.

incomplete,

it counts at least

Island, which suggests that more Islanders work exact percentage is unknown. Income statistics

based

by the

2000 U.S. Census reveal

135 households, and

median

one

hundred residents

on- Island

rather than

employed off, although

on-

the

median household income of $ 50, 521

family income of $ 59, 583 based on 67 families. were held down by family members or heads were living below the poverty level. This

The statistics don' t indicate how many jobs of households. Of these families, three

translated into 24 individuals of which five age. ( The 2000 U. S. Census

If the Islanders

would be

are

profiles

interested in

are

were children under the age of 18 years of included in the Reference Binder.)

encouraging

economic

activity

the Island, it

complete the Stakeholder' s inventory ( Fishers Island Businesses & This perhaps to expand it to include other kinds of information. of database underserved sectors of the local economy, type might help identify particularly where off-Island businesses are providing the services for lack of on- island providers. It also might identify gaps in the zoning code as it pertains to certain types of businesses. An updated survey of the properties rented by businesses might help define the extent to which Town rental of public land for business purposes is reducing the market demand for privately owned business property. helpful

Characteristics) and

Chapter

Inventory

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007- 2017

development counseling services to small and new marketing analysis and assistance in accessing funding sources. These services are offered through the State University and the Empire Development Corporation of the State Economic Development Office. Source information is included in Chapter 6 Bibliography & Sources and a copy of the brochure The State of New York offers economic

businesses and these services include

can

be found in the Reference Binder.

geographic isolation, its history, and the large extent of its resort or seasonal population ( relative to its year- round population), the Island' s economy also is influenced by the scattered nature of its business districts, the lack of suitable space/ structures for contemporary business needs and the availability ( however limited) of public land for lease at lower rents than might be found in the private market. Another factor is the ability of off-Island businesses to sell retail from trucks. The Town Code, Chapter 197 Peddlers Solicitors and Transient Retail Merchants, requires these businesses to obtain permits. However, this law is not enforced. In addition to the Island'

Information & Communications

important part of this planning exercise was to improve the flow and storage of information pertaining to the Island. Lack of current information about both the Island

A small but

and the Mainland contributes to the Island

sense

of disconnectedness that exists between the

community and Town government.

In 2001, the Town

Laserfiche,

implemented

information storage and retrieval system, known as public accesses government documents.

which has revolutionized how the

including meeting minutes, resolutions, permits, correspondence and maps, by typing " search words" into a computer. The computer scans the database for all documents containing the search words and provides the reader with a menu of matches. The reader can then access and read specific documents right on the computer screen, thus saving hours of manual searching through boxes and folders.

Now, documents, can

be found

1. Centralized Information Collection and Management As part of this update, the consultant searched on the Island and the Mainland for public records, reports and other documents related to Fishers Island and found inconsistent

practices. Some original public records, including maps, reports and documents, being stored on Fishers Island but neither the Town Clerk nor the Data Processing department had a listing or copy of these records. Other records, located on the Mainland in file cabinets, had not been scanned into the Laserfiche system. In spite of the rigorous archival practices that had been instituted on the Mainland in 2001, there was no central collection, inventory or archive containing all public documents pertaining to Fishers archival

were

Island

either the Island

the Mainland.

Discussions with Elizabeth Neville, Town Clerk, resulted in a radical upgrading of information storage and cataloguing practices within the Town Clerk' s office. Ms. Neville also

Chapter

arranged

Inventory

for

Stacey Norklun, Records Management Assistant, and 60

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Regional Advisory Officer from the New York State Department of Archives, Lorraine Hill- Campbell, to travel to Fishers Island in August of2006 to assist Meredith Harr of the Fishers Island Community Board ( FICB). Together they reviewed documents in the possession of the FICB and assessed whether they should be archived. Several boxes of materials ( consisting of minutes, maps and newsletters) were sent to the Mainland for scanning into Laserjiche, and then were returned to the FICB office.

conjunction with this effort, a parallel search was made of files in the Planning Department, the offices of the Town Historian and the Town Clerk for any information such as records, reports, documents, maps and photographs) pertaining to Fishers Island. These also were scanned into Laserfiche. All the information archived as a result of this search was filed into a specific Fishers Island file. In

Prior to this time, decisions, minutes and

application files from the Board of Trustees, the Zoning Board of Appeals ( ZBA), and the Planning Board ( PB) had been scanned into Laserjiche in accordance with standard procedures for storing public records. However, due to the volume of information generated by each of these boards, this information was not sorted into a separate Fishers Island file. Rather, keying in the words " Fishers Island" while searching the records of each respective board will yield information and decisions affecting Island properties. Records also can be retrieved by tax map number and by topic, e. g. accessory apartments, dock permits. Laserjiche contains records for the ZBA and the PB back to about 1957- 8, when those boards came into existence. Laserfiche contains Trustee records from 1936 to the present, and Town Board minutes and resolutions from 1945 to the present.

public documents must be stored for future retrieval purposes, the Laserjiche archiving process will be an ongoing one. Older historical material will continue to be scanned into the database along with future current decisions. The accuracy and usefulness of this archiving system requires all components of town government to forward public records to the Town Clerk' s Office. However, there is no standardized procedure whereby public records generated on Fishers Island are forwarded to the Mainland for scanning. Because

As noted earlier, all known records, documents, maps and aerial photographs deemed public record of Fishers Island ( other than decisions by the Zoning,

relevant to the Trustee,

Planning and

Town boards) have been scanned into the Town' s

Laserjiche

system and keyed for retrieval as " Fishers Island" to save time during future searches for information. The records that have been scanned as part of this project were saved onto a CD- ROM, two

placed

copies

of which

in the Fishers Island

Board in order to facilitate

attached to this report. It is suggested that one copy Library and the other with the Fishers Island Community are

public

access.

All other be is

public records, such as Zoning, Trustee, Planning and Town board minutes, can accessed only on the Mainland through computers located at Town Hall because there

direct,

secure

Chapter 5: Inventory

computer network connection between the Mainland and Fishers

Fishers Island

Island.

There

are

long

term

2007-2017

plans

provide

Island

access

the

Laserjiche system,

within the next five years.

perhaps For the

Strategic Plan:

near

future, the Town Clerk' s Office will continue to send

Island- specific documents ( other than board decisions)

updated

CD-ROMs of

on an as- needed

basis annually technology allows for direct computer access to the Town' s Laserjiche system from Fishers Island. In the meantime, a procedure should be set up to ensure that all public records generated on Fishers Island are being sent to the Town Clerk either bye-mail ( in Adobe or Word format) or through regular mails (print, CDuntil such time that

ROM, memory stick).

Geographic

The Town' s

Information

System

Geographic Information System (

GIS)

was

developed

over

period

several years beginning in the early 1990s. Maintaining, updating and expanding the database currently is the responsibility of the Data Processing Department and other

primary users such as the Planning Department, the Land Preservation Department, and the Engineering Office. The Data

Processing Department's policy is to update the database on a continuing basis by different departments. On Fishers Island, two private entities, FIDCO and the Museum, accept easements and donations of land. There is no procedure or requirement) whereby private land preservation activities are recorded with the Town. However, voluntary sharing of this information would enable the GIS database to be kept as

information is sent in

current and the information made available to the Island residents.

As part of this planning exercise, maps from previous studies and old aerial photographs were scanned into the GIS in order to expand and update the database. This effort also

included

search for aerial

photographs

held

by the Ferguson

Museum. Tom

Dougherty,

General Manager of the Fishers Island Ferry District also was contacted regarding surveys of Town- owned property located in the City of New London, Connecticut. In addition to the maps specifically created for this document, the GIS database contains the following information pertaining to Fishers Island. Aerials 2004 natural color aerial

photos photos natural color aerial photos natural color aerial photos infrared aerial photos black and white aerial photos

2001 natural color aerial 1999 1996 1995

1930

Tax

Maps Current - Suffolk

Chapter

County Tax Map, which includes specific

Protected land

Community Facilities

Acreage

Inventory

attributes such

as:

now

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

Zoning Current - Town

Zoning Map

Natural Resources

Department of Environmental Conservation Wetlands Map National Wetlands Inventory Map Town of Southold Wetlands Map Town of Southold Beach and Bluff Map 2006 - Audubon Important Bird Areas

New York State

The Race

2006 - New York State

Significant Coastal Habitats Map

Topographical United States

Geological Survey Quads

Regulatory Federal

Emergency Management Agency Flood Map Source: John

result of this

has been

Sepenoski, January

2007)

these maps have been saved on a CD-ROM. One copy with the Fishers Island Library and the other is at the Fishers Island

planning project,

placed Community Board office.

the Town' s GIS database does not include extensive infrastructure maps, such as the location of water and sewer lines, lighting systems. These systems are owned and

Finally,

possibility of scanning that information database ( with appropriate security controls) should be explored.

operated by private companies. into the Town' As with

GIS

In the future, the

Laseifiche, future updates

be sent to the Island

on an

annual,

pertains to Fishers Island will Conversely, information generated on

of the GIS database as- needed

basis.

the Island should be sent to the Town Clerk' s office for entry into Laserfiche or the GIS database. As with Laserjiche, currently there is no Island protocol in place for ensuring that

public information

Chapter 5: Inventory

is sent to the Mainland for archival purposes.

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

CHAPTER 6:

BIBLIOGRAPHY & SOURCES

BIBLIOGRAPHY Demol!raphic Data Historical Population of Lonl!Island Communities 1790- 1980: Decennial Census Data. Long Island Regional Planning Board, Hauppauge, NY August 1982. Table 8.

Population

Places Which Were

Counts for Suffolk

Reported

County Villages, Communities, and Unincorporated

in/or Derived from

Decennial Census.

Nassau Suffolk Place Level Summaries - 1990 U.S. Census

Population Survev 2005: Current Population Estimates for Nassau and Suffolk Counties and the Rockaway Peninsula. Long Island Power Authority, November 2005 p.3l. School District Demographic Profile: 1990 Census School District Special Tabulation, NYS

Dept

of Education 1980 Census of Population. Characteristics of People and Housinl!.

Prepared by LIRPB using US

Census data 2000

U.S. Bureau of the Census Census.. Table DP- I. Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 Table DP-2. Profile of Selected social Characteristics: 2000

Table DP- 3. Profile of Selected Economic Characteristics: 2000 Table DP- 4. Profile of Selected

Housing

characteristics: 2000

Report to the Fishers Island School Board, November 25, 2002,

authorship

unknown.

PIanninl!Documents

Givinl!Voice: The Fishers Island Project. Meredith Harr and Nate Gray, edited Island Institute, 2007. Master Plan Update: Backl!round Studies,

Raymond, Parish,

by David D.

Platt,

Pine and Weiner, Inc. 1984- 5.

The Fishers Island Growth Plan: 1988, The Trust for Public Land, 1988 The Fishers Island Growth Plan: 1994, The Trust for Public Land, 1994

Fishers Island Water Supplv / Watershed Studv. A. R.Lombardi Assocs., Inc., 1994. Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement. Southold Comprehensive Implementation Stratel!V, Town of Southold, May 2003

Local Waterfront Revitalization Program, Town of Southold, November 2004.

Chapter

Bibliography

and Sources

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007- 2017

The Town of Southold Hamlet Studv,

Cleary Consulting, July 2005.

Historical Guardian of the Sound: A Pictorial Historv of Fort H.G. Wright. Fishers Island. NY., Pierce Rafferty & John Wilton, 1998.

The Fishers Island Club and its Golf Links. The First Seventv- Five Years. Charles B. Ferguson Pierce Rafferty, 2002. Comorehensive Survev of Historic Resources in the Town of Southold and Fishers Island, Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities, 1988..

Government Documents Town Code, Town of Southold

Laserfiche archives, Town Clerk'

Office

Consolidated Laws of New York:

htto: lloublic. leginfo. state. nv. us/ menugetfcgi? COMMONOUER Y= LAWS Local Government Handbook website htto: llwww. dos. state. nv.us/ lgss/oublist.htm NYCOM website

htto: llwww. nvcom.org/

SOURCES

Education. Research and Environmental Protection

Christopher F. Smith, Director Marine Science Division Cornell University Cooperative Extension, Suffolk County 423

Griffing

Avenue,

Riverhead, NY 11901- 3071 631 727- 7850 Business Develooment Assistance

State University of New York' s Small Business Development Center Harriman Hall, Room 109 Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794- 3777 631- 632- 9070 www.

stonybrook.edu. smallbusiness

Chapter

Bibliography

and Sources

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Economic Development New York State Economic

Development Agency

http:// www.nvlovessmalIbiz. com

Empire

State

Development Corporation

Restore NY Communities Initiatives 30 South Pearl Street

Albany, NY

12245

Housinl!Assistance

Tanya Palmore, Executive Director Housing Alliance, Inc.

North Fork

116 South Street

Greenport, NY

11944

631) 477-1070

Environmental Resource Manal!ement and Grants New York

Department of State Department

Coastal Resources

http:// www. dos. state. nv. us/ aboutlcoastal. htm Governmental and Lel!al Information NYS

Department of State

Division of Local Government 41 State Street

Albany, NY

12231- 0001

Telephone: ( 518)

473- 3355

Fax: ( 518) 474- 6572 E- mail: localgovCaldos. state. nv.us

Web- site:

http:// www. dos. state. ny.us/ lgss/ list9. html

Peter

Q. Manning Training Manager New York State Department of State Land Use

Division of Local Government 41 State Street

Albany, NY 12231 ph: ( 518) 474- 4769 fax: 474- 6572 email: Peter. Manning@dos. state. ny. us

U.S. Base

Department of Defense Realignment and Closure

htto:// www .defenselink. millbrac

Chapter

Bibliography

and Sources

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

CHAPTER 7: APPENDIX

Minutes of Stakeholder

s Meetinl!:

Fishers Island Fire House

July I-

13, 2006

3: 30pm

Present:

Stakeholders:

Judy Imbriglio, Audrey Noyes Ludemann, William C. Ridgway, Heather Burnham, Peter Burr, Charles Stepanek, Pennie Sharp, Sarah Malinowski,

Ken

Edwards, Meredith Harr.

Louisa Evans, Michael

Others:

Laughlin,

Ron

Schongar,

Leslie Goss Gruner, Suzanna

Doyle Consultant:

Scopaz

Introductions

I. V.

Valerie

Scopaz

introduced herself and

spoke briefly about her professional background.

Almost

everyone else present introduced themselves.

Brief Review of Goals &

II.

Scopaz gave for Public Land

Objectives

brief synopsis of the

of Past Master Plans ( 1984, 1987 and 1994)

primary goals

and recommendations of the 1987 Trust

study and the 1994 Fishers Island Growth Plan. Some of the recommendations were quite specific and have since been implemented. Other recommendations were more general statements of vision or policy with no clear directive contained within them. III.

Expectations

Each stakeholder

was

for 2006

Update

asked to define his

MPU). The

Plan

her

expectation or vision

for the 2006 Master

voiced:

following concepts Update ( strategic plan to protect the natural environment from further degradation, to existing environmental problems and to encourage land preservation. An inventory of factual information about the island, including, but not limited o Business properties and structures o Vacant building lots Build- out potential o o Demographic data and trends o Year-round housing A

were

redress to:

Environmental assessment

Scopaz explained that one aspect of the MPU will be a consolidation of all existing information about Fishers Island, which will be scanned into the Town' s Laser- fiche system. Scanned documents, including maps, will be burned onto CDs, that will be brought to the Island for use by anyone wanting to research public documents pertaining to Fishers Island.

Currently the Town' s internal computer network does not extend to Fishers Island. Staffin the Planning Department have been asked to search for reports pertaining to Fishers Island and to have them Laser- fiched into the system. Mere has been asked to find and sort through

Chapter

Appendix

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

old reports and maps and create a list which will be compared with the existing information already archived into Laser- fiche. A list of reports that have been archived already was

passed

around and amended. VS will

IV.

see

to it that this document is located and archived.

Identification & discussion of : a.

Key Issues one

of Concern ( An asterisk * notes

issue

applicable

than

category.) 1.

Social: I.

There is insufficient affordable

round residents, but 2.

3. 4.

ii.

no one

housing

the Island for yearhousing is needed.

how much

sure

There is interest is

creating a community center, but there also is uncertainty as to the specific needs it would serve, and the services it should offer. Agreement has been reached on its location in Building 98; the owner of which, FIDCO, has agreed to let it be used as a center. About $ 1. 8 million of the roughly 2. 5 milliou ueeded has already been raised. There are questions as to whether the year- round population declining or just in a state of flux. There are concerns about the long- term viability ofthe yearround community given the current state of affairs, e. g. lack of affordable housing, increasing seasonal population, loss of housing in West End to seasonal population, limited business opportunities. *

Economic I.

There

are concerns

round

about the

long- term viability of the year-

the current state of affairs,

e. g. lack of community given seasonal housing, increasing population, loss of housing in West End to seasonal population, limited business opportunities. * Utility costs ( electricity particularly) are high.

More information is needed about the Island'

affordable

businesses, its

economy and the general business climate. Little information is available about home occupations, tenants on Town-owned

property managed by the Ferry District, and under-utilized

vacant business

4. 111.

Is Island in

properties. danger oflosing

some

businesses?

Physical I.

Maintenance of physical infrastructure such

sidewalks should be improved. There is uncertainty about how much

3. 4.

roads and

growth the existing utility infrastructure ( e. g. electricity, water, sewer, ferry) could absorb before additional capital investment would be necessary. new

How many vacant lots could be built on? Or further subdivided? There is some concern about the potential loss of historical structures and sites

as new

development

redevelopment

occurs.

What is ultimate

disposition

of site be used for affordable IV.

Chapter

Appendix

of US

Navy property? housing?*

Could part

Environmental

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan: I.

There

species. The quality of the natural environment seems to be declining. Land preservation needs to be continued and encouraged.

3. v.

2007-2017

seems

to be

increase in the presence of invasive

Governmental I.

Can Fishers Island manage its future without interference from the mainland"?

Better coordination and

representation

the

representation is needed. There is no Zoning Board of Appeals or the Board of

Trustees. 3.

The management of property owned by Southold Town suffers from lack of vision and transparency.

The Island is not well-perceived

negative publicity. What is ultimate disposition of site be used for affordable

Unrealized 1.

by outsiders

due to recent

of US

Navy property? housing?"

Could part

Opportnnities

Social I.

There is

good sense of community on Fishers Island that could strengthened. The sense of safety should not be jeopardized. There are significant human resources ( talent, expertise, passion) that could be tapped. a

be 2.

ii. Economic I.

iii.

not

been " ruined"

tourism.

Physical I.

iv.

The Island has

The Island possesses public buildings, structures and land worth maintaining and rehabilitating.

Environmental 1.

The Island'

environment is still in

that have surfaced 2.

The

can

good shape

and the

problems

be addressed.

potential for ecologically- sensitive explored.

use

of public property

has not been v.

Governmental I. The Island' resort

zoning has prevented designations.

the influx of hotels and other

tourist

The historic structures associated with Fort

Wright

are

worth

protecting. c.

Potential Solutions & i. 11. 111.

iv. The

Strategies Policy & Legislation Planning & Design Capital Investment & Budgeting Other

consensus

of the group

was

table this discussion until

information could

be collected, reviewed and discussed. A short list of information that the Stakeholders would like to

Chapter

Appendix

see

follows:

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007- 2017

Map of vacant properties and an List of business- zoned

properties

assessment of build- out

and

potential.

uses.

by the Ferry District. Ferry District. Summary trends. Past and proj ected school population Census data on ( and analysis of)year- round population. Status of electric and water utility capacity and ability to absorb more growth. List ofleases

Town- owned land

of lease income from Town- owned land to the

Next a.

Steps

Interviews & Interviewees i.

The Stakeholders

agreed

to hold

series of interviews with the

following: and school board

School district

Ferry district commissioners and manager Water district manager

superintendent

president

Electric / telephone company manager Scopaz will prepare an initial list of questions for the interviewees to answer. These questions will be sent to the stakeholders via e- mail for the stakeholders to rework and add to, to their satisfaction. The questions will be ii.

sent to

the interviewees two weeks in advance with

a cover

letter.

Field Work i. M. Harr will continue assist Valerie with

transportation

and other

research. c.

Communications Protocols i. M. Harr will take

care

of administrative details

the Island until her

in late

August. departure Questions can be e- mailed directly to V. Scopaz. Timetable - Completion of the Update: within four to five months V. Scopaz will move forward with the following tasks in preparation for next meeting: i. Census data: research and analysis ii. Property cards for business-zoned and Town properties iii. Records management protocols from Town Clerk' s Office iv. Arrange for archiving of SPLIA files, and other material as found v. Obtain update on status of updating ofSPLIA records on Fishers Island vi. Vacant lands map with zoning, wetlands, steep slopes and other layers ii.

d. e.

as relevant and available. f. M. Harr to compile a list of interviewees and their contact information. g. Next Stakeholder meeting will be Thursday, August 1711>from 12 noon to 5 pm. h. Tentative location: FI School. If school is unavailable, M. Harr will decide on

alternative location.

Prepared by: V. Scopaz July 14, 2006

Chapter

Appendix

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

Fishers Island School, August 17, 2006

2007-2017

Library

12 - 4: 30 pm Present:

Stakeholders:

Others:

Consultant:

Judy Imbriglio, Audrey Ludemann, William C. Ridgway, Heather Burnham, Peter Burr, Charles Stepanek, Pennie Sharp, Ken Edwards, Meredith Harr. Sarah Malinowski sent regrets due to urgent family matter.) Louisa Evans, Chippy duPont, Bob Wall, Peter Brinckerhoff, Jeanne Schultz Valerie Scopaz

Introductions

Not needed.

Objectives of Current Master Plan Update a typographical error on Valerie' s part!

Brief Review of Goals &

II.

Ignored

this

was

Presentations & Interviews

III.

Chippy du Pont engaged with us in a detailed conversation and discussion about how the Ferry District is run and their perspective on a number of different issues Town-owned land. He will provide us with written regarding the management of material in response. Bob Wall also gave us tremendous insight into the workings of the island' s utility companies ( water, electric, telephone). He submitted some material but indicated he would be

Both

providing

men

said

with additional information.

they would make themselves available or to ask more questions.

subsequent meetings

discuss issues further

Jeanne Schultz gave a general overview of the school' s current programs and its longrange plans. She also agreed to provide the Stakeholders with a copy of the longrange plan once it is completed sometime this fall, as this report will contain many of the

Carol Giles

answers

was

2000) and her IV.

Recap a.

to the

pulled

into the

concerns

and Next

questions

had asked.

meeting briefly to discuss

her role in the last Census

about its accuracy.

Steps

Historical Preservation and Landmark List 1.

Updating

the

existing

SPLIA list is

going to require

concerted effort of

interested islanders who are willing to work with Jim Grathwohl, Chair of the Southold Town Landmarks Commission. This update will take some time and will not be completed in time to be included in this

Update. However, the groundwork has been laid for incorporating updated information into the Town' s database. b.

Archival Efforts 1.

during Fathers' Day is being scanned Rafferty has agreed to obtain copies of and aerial photographs for the Town. Everyone was urged

The material that into the Town'

certain maps to

Chapter

Appendix

keep

was

collected

database. Pierce

eye out for material that should be included into the database.

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Additional Interviews i. The Stakeholders decided that Walsh Park Benevolent Association and FIDCO

representatives

Questions are

sent to

going to be

are

invited to the next

meeting. they

will be sent out to Stakeholders for their review before

these two

organizations.

ii. Valerie mentioned that she had met with the Director of the Board, and the

library

staff and

Library' s found that meeting most helpful and

informative. lll.

If additional interviews the next

are

desired there will be time to set them up for

meeting.

Field Work 1.

Valerie will need to in order to

spend

at least three

days

the island in

September

field work, research, solicit Stakeholder input and revise draft material that will be submitted to the Stakeholders in

complete

advance.

ii. We reviewed additional maps that had been prepared by the Town' s GIS staff. Several errors were noted, including the lack of adequate keys and

legends on some Sepenoski. 111.

of the maps. Valerie will address them with John

The Vacant and Further Subdividable Land discussion. It shows

Map generated

lot of

considerable amount ofland under FIDCO control

as being potentially buildable. Part of this is due to insufficient understanding of how some of this land may be encumbered or protected against further development. Also, the map did not seem to accurately reflect land with conservation easements under control of Ferguson

Museum. I.

Heather and Penni

agreed

work with Pierce

Rafferty to obtain properties owned by the

accurate listing and map of all Ferguson Museum or on which the Museum holds easements protecting against further development. This information will be fed into the Build-out Analysis as well as a revised Vacant an

and Further Subdividable Land map. Valerie and Ken agreed to frame questions for FIDCO

degree of protection that exists

FIDCO'

remaining

to the

vacant

land. IV.

After the

packing up, Charlie heard Valerie thinking gather more information about the island' s business needs and he volunteered to expand a list she had started on island businesses. He agreed to contact Ken and others on the committee meeting

ended and I

was

aloud about how to

to review his work. c.

Meeting

was

set for

Wednesday, September 27th.

Location to be determined.

Valerie will stay on the island for three or four days in order to facilitate writing of the report and the work of the stakeholders. Mere will be leaving the island for about four months beginning in the

September and will not be available to assist the Stakeholders or the meeting preparation and other coordination efforts.

consultant with

Prepared

Chapter

August 28, 2006 by Valerie Marie Scopaz, AICP.

Appendix

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

B. Stakeholder Questions

Stakeholder

August 17, 2006

Meeting: Questions

for Fishers Island

Ferry District

questions indicate the type of information needed for the inventory section of the Master Update. This information will be used to develop realistic goals and implementation strategies for the Fishers Island community over the next decade. Accordingly, written documentation in answer to these questions would be much appreciated:

These Plan

Town-owned land and structures What amount ( and percentage) of the the Ferry District are leased to individuals and businesses?

Is there

managed by

map?

the terms of the leases? ( For example, monthly? Yearly? Open- ended?) What terms are attached to the use of property and/or buildings, e. g. waste disposal of tires. derelict machinery, etc.), outside storage of material, and environmental

What

are

protection of the land? Are the leases in the form of written contracts? Or hand- shake agreements? What is the yearly income derived from leases of Town-owned land and structures?

4. 5.

To what purpose does the District use yearly income from leases? Does the District budget include money to maintain non- ferry related

6. 7.

buildings

and

properties? What criteria

Is there

used to determine to whom land/structures will be leased? cap on the amount of land/structures that may be leased?

are

13.

supply? ( Is there a waiting list of people wanting to lease?) Who oversees use of waterfront properties by the public? What measures are in place for clean- up of leased properties and properties accessible to the public, such as pier side fishing, overnight fishing on Race Point other shoreline access points? How does the Ferry District manage the airport? Does FI Ferry desire to continue oversight and control of non- ferry related

14.

What

Does demand exceed

9. 10.

11.

12.

and

land/buildings? are

the

longrange plans

for the unused land and

buildings that the Ferry

District controls? Over the years, various organizations and individuals have queried the Ferry District about the possibility of overnight berth of a vessel on the Island for several reasons, one being to further improve a recently improved ferry schedule, and another that

15.

crew

members

Has this

option

might

be drawn to live

been dismissed

on a

the island, send their children to school, etc.

permanent basis

is this

idea that could be

revisited? Would the district be

16.

willing

to survey island businesses and determine ifthere

any constraints/ detriments to business change in district policy/rules?

operations

that could

easily

be resolved

are

by a

How many jobs does the ferry district provide the community? What number and percentage of those jobs are filled by full time residents of the island? Who may vote for District Commissioners? What are the terms of office? Are there

17. 18.

term limits?

Chapter

Appendix

Plan: 2007-2017

Fishers Island

Strategic

September 27, Corporation

2006 Stakebolder

Development

How many resideutiallots within the Olmstead Plan are currently developed? How many residential lots ( and which) within the Olmstead Plan are undeveloped? a. How many of these lots ( and which) are buildable and not owned by FIDCO?

policy towards the merging and unmerging oflots? How many lots ( and which) will never be developed due to euviromuental constraints, aesthetic concerns, and/or covenants and restrictions prohibiting their development? a. Include land set aside for water supply purposes and other infrastructure What is FlDCO'

for Fisbers Island

Meeting: Questions

purposes. Does FIDCO have ( or propose to have) further lots? If so, which lots??

What other land

uses

does FIDCO

preservation

permit within

of undeveloped, buildable

its jurisdiction:

e. g.

country club, golf

beach, sports clubs, etc.? How many year round and part time jobs does FlDCO provide within the community? What percentage of its work force lives locally and what percentage commutes? Are there plans for an increase in year round employment opportunities that might attract

Were

course,

families to the island? an

employment opportunity anticipated, developing permanent, affordable housing?

increase in

to assist in

17, 2006 Stakeholder

August

Meeting: Questions for Fisbers

would FIDCO be in

position

Island School District

questions indicate the type of information needed for the inventory section of the Master Plan Update. This information will be used to develop realistic goals and implementation strategies for the Fishers Island community over the next decade. Accordingly, written documentation would be much appreciated: These

What has been the historic trend in the school

Since the

inception

students. Is there 3.

4. 5. 6.

FI School since 1950?

precipitate discontinuation of the magnet program? What is projected trend in school population for the next five years? What longrange planning goals have been adopted by the School Board? What is the largest number of students that could be accommodated in the existing school building? Does the school own additional structures on the grounds that may be suitable for future school

population at

Magnet Program, what has been the ratio of Magnet to Island number/threshold of island students at which, if reached, would

of the

uses?

What additional land does the school

own

and what

are

the future

plans

for those

properties? 8.

Is there sufficient land to allow for

What actions have been taken ( and

physical expansion of the school in the future? are being taken) to improve educational opportunities

for Island students?

10. What programs could be hosted, but II. Why aren' t these programs in place;

aren' t; e. g. team

sports, enrichment programs,

etc.?

e. g. transportation obstacles, lack of teachers, low numbers of students, insufficient Internet access, etc.?

12. Who may vote for school district officials? What limits?

Chapter

Appendix

are

the terms of office? Are there term

Fishers Island Strategic Plan: 2007-2017

13. What types of support would you like to

mentoring, logistical,

from the

see

community ( e. g. financial,

moral,

etc.)

14. How many jobs does the school district provide the community? What number and percentage of those jobs are filled by full-time residents of the island? IS. What

are

16. What

opportunities

August

the School'

plans

for distance

does the School

learning? provide for adult

17, 2006 Stakeholder

for Fishers Island

Meeting: Questions electric and telephone services)

includes water,

education,

now

and in the future?

Utility Company

These Plan

Electricity I.

What is the trend in

electricity consumption

the Island relative to

population

since

1950?

To what

degree

is this trend affected

by new

construction and

lifestyle changes /

amenities? 2.

trend for the next several years? Are newer homes requiring greater drains on the system relative to older residences?

What is the a.

projected

What is the rate structure for electrical service? Is it different relative to

seasonality of demand or proportion

of drain

the

system? 4.

What is

general

condition of existing facilities, vehicles, and

generating/ delivery

systems? 5.

What is the

primary

What is the

on- island

8. 9.

10. II. 12.

13.

of the

electricity? generating capacity of the electric plant, if any? What is the next big project that would require further rate increases? Does the company have any expansion plans for the future, either in terms of service or physical infrastructure and buildings? Given current capacity and usage trends, how much additional population growth can be accommodated by the existing system? a. If possible, provide separate estimates for year- round and seasonal populations. Does the company have any plans to explore alternative sources of electricity to supplement the current source( s)? What is the ownership and management structure of the Electric Company? How many year roundjobs does the Electric Company provide to the community? Are there plans for an increase in year round employment opportunities that might attract source

families to the island? 14. Were

increase in

develop housing

Chapter

Appendix

employment opportunity anticipated, would the Electric Company people?

for these

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

Water I.

What is the trend in water

consumption

the Island relative to

What is the

projected trend for the next

by changes

in water demand

by new

amenities?

construction and

since 1950?

several years?

To what extent is this trend affected

population

also earlier when hotels existed?

lifestyle changes / being provided? ( E. g. numbers of customer, ( yearround and seasonal), gallons pumped per day.) Given current consumption trends, what additional increase in population can the existing What is the

existing

level of service

infrastructure accommodate?

Provide separate estimates for year round and seasonal populations. plans for the future, either in terms of service

Does the company have any expansion physical infrastructure and buildings?

What

What restrictions, if any,

measures

does the company

currently take ( or plan to take)

protect the

water

supply? are

there

the addition of new

private

wells and

swimming

pools. What is the

the 8.

Is there

Company' s position

the future

impact

ofthese wells and

pools

resource?

different rate structure for volume customers? Business customers? Year-

round and seasonal customers? 9.

What is the

ownership

and management structure ofthe Water

Company?

10. How many year round jobs does the Water Company provide to the community? II. Are there plans for an increase in year round employment opportunities that might attract families to the island? 12. Were

increase in

develop housing

employment opportunity anticipated, people?

would the Water

Company

for these

Telephone I.

What is the trend in

What is the

3. 4.

telephone usage on the Island relative to population since 1950? projected trend for the next several years? a. To what extent is this trend affected by changes in demand by new construction and lifestyles? What is the existing level of service being provided? ( E. g. numbers of customer, breakout by year-round from seasonal) What additional level of service can the existing infrastructure accommodate? a. Provide separate estimates for year round and seasonal populations. Does the company have any expansion plans for the future in terms of level of service, physical infrastructure and buildings? Do these plans include improved Internet access? Wireless

Is there

access?

different rate structure for volume customers? Business customers? Year-

round and seasonal customers? 7.

What is the

How many year round jobs does the Telephone Company Are there plans for an increase in year round employment

ownership

and management structure of the

Telephone Company? provide to the community? opportunities that might attract

families to the island?

Chapter

Appendix

Fishers Island

Strategic Plan:

2007-2017

employment opportunity anticipated, would the Telephone Company develop housing for these people? 11. Would the Telephone Company be willing to survey business owners about constraints operations due to policies and rate determinations, lack of consistent communications,

10. Were

increase in

etc.?

September 1.

27, 2006 Stakeholder

Meeting: Questions

How many affordable housing units population do they serve? a.

rental

owner-

are

for Walsh Park Benevolent

owned ( or

managed) by WPBC

Corp.

and what

occupied. used to determine who

live in WPBC

What criteria

How does WPBC underwrite

What management guidelines are tenants and owners Is there an appeals process for tenants and owners to ask for variances from the

are

can

subsidize rental and

housing? occupied housing? expected to abide by?

owner-

or from rulings by management? supply and demand projections for the next 20 years, and what are the underlying assumptions for those projections? Does WPBC have specific properties on its " wish list" that would be suitable for affordable housing purposes? a. privately held,

management guidelines 6. 7.

What

Chapter

are

WPBC's

FIDCO held, and

Town owned land.

Appendix