May 22, 2014

Government Briefs 05.22.14

East Hampton Town
Complaints Online
Complaints to the East Hampton Town Ordinance Enforcement Department, regarding, for
example, possible town code violations from overcrowded housing to illegal summer rentals,
litter, or businesses operating in residential zones, may now be lodged online through the towns
website at www.ehamptonny.gov.
An online complaint form can be found there under Ordinance Enforcement on the right-
hand side. Those sending complaints will receive written confirmations, and town officers will
investigate. They will also be notified of determinations. The online system went live on
Tuesday.
Complaints may also still be lodged by calling code enforcement, the fire marshals office, or
the town Building Department, or by visiting them at 300 Pantigo Place.
Noise complaints must be filed with the Police Department.
Renewable Energy Goals
East Hampton Town has set a goal of meeting 100 percent of the communitys electricity
needs with renewable energy sources by 2020, the first town in New York State to do so.
The unanimous vote by the town board on Tuesday also calls for meeting energy
consumption in other energy sectors (heating and transportation) with renewable sources by
2030. The goals reflect those of numerous municipalities across the nation and worldwide, a
number of which have been achieved, Frank Dalene said on Tuesday. He chairs the town energy
and sustainability committee.
In response to several renewable energy programs sponsored by the Long Island Power
Authority and PSEG Long Island, the town has already selected a number of proposals from
solar developers for large-scale solar farms on town-owned land.
Filming Fees Up
With a vote last Thursday, the East Hampton Town Board increased the fees for permits for
filming for the first time since 2007.
According to the resolution offered by Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, productions
involving between 6 and 15 people per day will pay $250 for a daily permit; those with 16 to 50
people, $500 a day; those with 51 to 100 people, $1,000 a day, and filming involving more than
100 people will be subject to a $1,500-a-day fee.
The increases were prompted by a film crew that sought a permit to film a Showtime TV
series for the second year. During board discussion, a resident had said East Hamptons fees
were well below those paid by the industry in other areas.
Bus Club Proposed
A new transportation service proposed between East End hamlets, using two revamped school
buses, prompted some questions by the East Hampton Town Board, which heard from one of the
businesss founders, Derek Kleinow, on Tuesday.
Mr. Kleinow described the system as a social club, which would offer rides between
shopping areas, restaurants, and night spots to members, along with refreshments aboard the
buses, and a chance to meet other members. As a social club offering an amenity rather than a
transportation service, he said, the business would not be subject to certain regulations applied to
other bus companies.
Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell, while applauding the idea of a service that might reduce
traffic and provide an alternative for those who might otherwise drive after drinking, asked Mr.
Kleinow to provide written documentation of the legality of the proposal. Mr. Cantwell also
voiced concern about buses stopping at places like Montauks Surf Lodge, for instance, where
there are often traffic tie-ups.
New York State
Business Group Endorses Wind Farm
The Association for a Better Long Island, a trade group serving real estate and business
interests, has written to Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo endorsing a proposed 200-megawatt wind farm,
to be situated in the Atlantic some 30 miles east of Montauk.
The associations members control $15 billion worth of commercial, industrial, residential,
and retail real estate, representing the largest energy consumers on Long Island, according to a
release.
Desmond Ryan, the groups executive director, told the governor that members believe
renewable energy should be a sizable component of the states energy generation. Job growth,
stabilized rates, and one more alternative to fossil-fuel commodity prices make it easy for our
business leaders to endorse this proposal, he wrote.
Deepwater Wind, a Rhode Island company, has proposed to build Deepwater ONE, an
offshore wind farm that will not be visible from any point on Long Island.