Members of the Bistrian family, who own 30 acres of agricultural land just north of the public parking lot in Amagansett, say they’ve been negotiating with East Hampton Town to preserve the land for 35 years, but it’s come to nothing. According to the East Hampton Star, the family have written to the town board that "it has become apparent that the town is not willing to buy the property at fair market value." Therefore, say the owners, they have no choice but to proceed with developing the land residentially.
The land is zoned residential, for two acre lots, but with agricultural restrictions on how it can be developed. Further, the family says that the town must build an access road, which was agreed to in 1970 when the town purchased the land used for the parking lot. (See the illustration. The asterisk shows the access road, which exists on town tax maps.) If the town doesn’t pave the road, the Bistrians plan to themselves.
Seems to us this is another example of the town wanting to purchase a property using CPF funds, as with the former East Deck motel in Montauk, but the town only being permitted to offer appraised value for the property, and the owners and the appraisers not agreeing on the value. Maybe it’s time to change the law. What do you say?
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