Town moves accessory staff housing law toward adoption after responses to public and planning board comments

At the work session the town attorney reviewed written responses to public and planning board comments on the proposed accessory staff housing local law, which would permit employer‑provided housing (boarding houses, apartments or single‑family units) accessory to business properties subject to planning‑board site plan and special‑permit approval and Suffolk County Department of Health septic capacity rules.

Key clarifications provided in the town attorney’s presentation: the cap of 25 special permits is not explicitly time‑limited but was included to allow the town to evaluate impacts and perform an environmental assessment before expanding the program; tenant occupancy must be limited to employees of the business holding the special permit; annual permits and oversight will be required, including provision of leases and supporting documents; transfer of an approved special permit to a subsequent property owner requires a new application and approval process; and the one‑acre minimum lot size was adopted after consultation with the health department, which raised septic‑capacity constraints for smaller lots.

Planning board concerns that the law could concentrate staff housing in certain hamlets and the request for clearer design guidance and transfer/administration rules were addressed in the written responses. The attorney said nonconforming uses remain nonconforming unless a use variance is granted and that a certificate of occupancy does not change nonconforming status.

Board members and staff discussed next steps including preparation of an environmental assessment (EAF) and the likelihood of returning the local law for adoption in July after addressing remaining procedural items.