Plan to build two large boat storage buildings near Mattituck Inlet raises environmental concerns

A marina's proposal to build two large boat storage buildings in Mattituck that some residents say will bolster the local economy is facing scrutiny over its potential environmental impacts.

The family-owned Strong’s Yacht Center is seeking to add two facilities totaling over 100,000 square feet to their property on Mill Road in order to provide winter storage for up to 88 boats that would arrive via Mattituck Inlet. The marina has several locations on Long Island, including on the North and South forks and Fire Island.

But environmental advocates who attended the May 15 Southold planning board public hearing condemned plans to excavate nearly five acres of sand and clear more than 600 trees on the 32-acre property adjacent to the Mill Road Preserve. They cited issues such as potential noise and traffic disruptions during construction and impacts on wildlife and water. 

Dozens of speakers said mitigation efforts proposed by the marina, such as replanting 135 trees on site, are inadequate. Others worry the clearing will increase the likelihood of flooding, since excavation will result in reduced elevation on the site from 50 feet above sea level to just 10 feet. 

“[The] loss of contiguous habitat has much more negative impact than anyone realizes,” said Mark Haubner, president of the nonprofit North Fork Environmental Council, comparing the size of the proposed buildings to a Costco warehouse.

Members of the North Fork Audubon Society said the wooded area provides habitat for 89 bird species and other critical wildlife, including the red-backed salamander and eastern box turtle, which is listed as a species of special concern in New York State.

Company owner Jeff Strong later said his proposal serves a need for boat owners because there aren't enough boat storage options in the area and larger vessels are typically brought to warmer climates during the winter months. 

“The more sophisticated equipment doesn’t love being at 20 degrees in the winter,” Strong said. “We want this place to stay as a shipyard for future generations.”

Strong said his project is compliant with the property’s marine district zoning, which allows marinas, beach clubs and boatyards to be built.

Other supporters said the project will bolster the local economy, create jobs and maintain a working waterfront.

“[It] provides opportunities for so many of us in the industry to extend our season and make a very important amount of money we don’t otherwise see from November to March,” local boat captain Eric Shiebler, a Strong's employee, said at the hearing.

Data compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that nearly 700 small marine businesses brought in more than $54 million to Suffolk County in 2018, the latest figures available.

Residents in the neighboring town of Riverhead are also apprehensive about plans to haul the excavated material using their local roads such as Sound Avenue, Northville Turnpike and Route 58 to reach the Long Island Expressway.

A draft environmental review conducted by Strong's Yacht estimates it would take 8,200 truck trips — an average of 40 per day — to remove the soil and sand.

“We were sort of an afterthought,” said Angela DeVito of Riverhead, a Democrat running for town supervisor. “The impact of this project should have been considered across the towns as a North Fork project.”

Strong has proposed an agreement with the Southold Town Highway Department to repair road damages that occur on town roads.

But he said, “We would not feel comfortable doing that with the Town of Riverhead because those trucks are already rolling over the road,” he said. “It’s a designated truck route.”

Riverhead supervisor Yvette Aguiar said she's aware of the proposal and shares residents' concerns. "We are evaluating their environmental reviews and we do have some concern at the moment that there may be excessive traffic," she said Friday, adding the town plans to make formal comments to the Southold planning board when the hearing continues on June 5. A written comment period will remain open until July 10, officials said.