“Where is Joni Mitchell when we need her?” Greenport resident Diana Gordon asked the Village Board at a meeting last week, citing Ms. Mitchell’s hit ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ in opposing a proposal to pave over a small residential parcel behind the Greenporter hotel and put up a parking lot.
Ms. Gordon, a member of the Village Zoning Board, joined with Zoning Board of Appeals member John Saladino and others in arguing that the lot should be used for its intended purpose — to build housing.
“What is the benefit to the village in a time when we have such a housing crunch?” she wondered aloud. To be doing what is clearly ‘spot zoning’ is absurd. I just can’t imagine this fits with the board’s general interest and commitment to zoning reform for our village.”
Spot zoning is changing the zoning on a specific, small piece of land to a different use than the surrounding area, usually to benefit a single property owner.
Mr. Saladino, who is also a member of the village’s code committee, said that it seems “short-sighted to take a potential piece of property that has the potential for three dwelling units, because we are considering [accessory dwelling units] on properties … to take a residential property out of the mix and turn it into a parking lot.”
He asked village trustees to “share with us what this board thinks the public benefit would be to this.”
In 2023, soon after a village development moratorium was lifted, the Greenporter Hotel presented a “pre-submission” proposal to the village’s planning board for a significant expansion. The expansion plan would consist of three key modifications: increasing the overall building size from 15,042 feet to 24,099 square feet; expanding the number of guests rooms from 36 to 56, and the restaurant from 45 seats to 65 seats. The aim is to combine two buildings on the property into one, and build a third floor on the new structure.
At last week’s meeting, Dillon Prives, representing the Greenporter, said the parking lot plan would give the property “properly-sized [Americans with Disabilities Act] parking spaces, a load zone and a pickup and drop off area.”
Greenport Business Improvement District president Nancy Kouris said both sides have good points.
“No one wants residential property to be turned into a parking lot. But we also have to look at if there is a lesser detriment to the community by making that available to the Greenporter.” She went on to say that “if that piece of property was so valuable for someone to build on it, why haven’t they built on it yet? It’s been there for a while.”
The public hearings, which involve a proposal to combine two lots, will remain open, according to village officials. No imminent action is expected on the parking lot proposal. The Suffolk County Planning Commission will have 45 days after reviewing the proposal, possibly at this month’s meeting, to offer a recommendation. The board will not vote to take any action until further public discussion and after the county’s recommendation is received, officials said.
“We’re gonna be discussing it for a couple of months, to be honest,” said trustee Julia Robins.
“I don’t know that we would even discuss anything until we hear something back from the planning board,” Mayor Kevin Stuessi added.