Pine Barrens commission puts off decision on 'The Hills' project until at least March

The New York State Pine Barrens Commission wants the developers behind a proposed 118-unit community and golf course in East Quogue once known as “The Hills” to answer more questions about the project before their next meeting in March, at which they may or may not rule on the proposal. 

The panel made the decision after a 3-1/2 hour meeting of more than 100 on Wednesday at Town Hall in Riverhead, where people spoke either in favor of or against the project that would be located along Lewis Road. Arizona-based developer Discovery Land Company wants to develop 588 acres of property into a seasonal resort community with 147 residences, an 18-hole private golf course, a sewage treatment plant, recreational uses, ponds, utilities, and other facilities.

The commission must decide whether the project meet the standards for development in the Pine Barrens. Should the commission decide the project doesn’t meet those standards, the developers would need to get a hardship waiver, which is traditionally difficult to get, according to commission officials.

Chick Voorhis, of environmental planning consultant Nelson, Pope & Voorhis, said the project’s treatment plant would remove about 80% of the nitrogen from residences in the proposed community. It also would remove more than 1,500 pounds of nitrogen from local waters that otherwise would have been discharged.

The project also conformed with East Quogue’s land use plan, and “projects that do conform should be approved,” Voorhis said.

Residents and environmental advocates have been opposed to the project because of its proposed location in the environmentally sensitive Pine Barrens area.

Southampton’s Zoning Board of Appeals voted in November 2018 that the golf course could be considered an accessory use to a residential subdivision and be built under current zoning. Residents, environmental groups and State Assemb. Fred Thiele (I-Sag Harbor) sued in December 2018 in an effort to overturn the board’s decision.

Opponents such as Assemb. Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) said he was concerned about the project’s impact on traffic in the area, local drinking water and other potential adverse environmental effects.

“Just the shortcomings of the SEQRA portion of this application are enough to require a 'no' vote,” Englebright said.

Elizabeth Jackson, an East Quogue resident, said she was concerned about environmental habitat. “This habitat, left as it is, is the only constant we have in this chaos theory. As soon as we put our hands on it, it won’t be what we thought it was yesterday and it will be something new tomorrow,” Jackson said.

However, those in favor of the project said it would bring new jobs to the area.

Silas Anthony, of Westhampton Beach, said he believed the developers had proved willing to work within environmental constraints and asked the commission to approve the project as an example of "how to marry development and still protect our natural resources.”

The commission directed the developers to address the panel's staff report on the project and comments made on Wednesday by March 4. The commission’s next meeting on the project will be on March 18 in Brookhaven.