The Town of East Hampton may move forward with the acquisition of 13.5 acres at 549 and 550 Wainscott Northwest Road in Wainscott for community housing purposes, should the Town Board decide, following a decision issued by the New York State Supreme Court in Suffolk County.
In a Decision and Order dated June 4, Acting Supreme Court Justice James F. Quinn denied a petition brought by Jonathon Tarbet seeking to stop the town from purchasing the property and denied the request to prohibit the town from using money from the Community Housing Fund for the acquisition.
The Court determined that the acquisition of the property is a legal and permissible use of Community Housing Fund money. The decision also vacated the temporary restraining order that had been issued on June 1, and stated that the town may close on the property pursuant to applicable law.
The court also addressed the petitioner’s claim that the town had improperly segmented environmental review under SEQRA (State Environmental Quality Review Act). In its decision, the court noted that the town has not determined how the property would be developed, and that the petitioner’s argument was based on speculative future harm rather than a final town action. Any future proposal for the property would be subject to the required public process and applicable environmental review.
The town’s Community Housing Fund was approved by voters to help address the shortage of affordable and community housing in East Hampton Town.