Erosion control taxing districts backed in Southampton

Officials Saturday supported the creation of erosion control taxing districts as a potential solution to beach erosion problems in some areas of Southampton.

The districts, which would incorporate the nearly 100 beachfront residents of Sagaponack and Bridgehampton, would determine what the taxes would be and when they would be collected.

If instituted, the districts would create an advisory committee. The committee could then outline a plan of action, access the cost of restoration, and tax themselves for the restoration of the shoreline, which includes general maintenance, town and state officials said.

"It lets the homeowners have some sort of control over their property," said Southampton Town Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst at a forum in Bridgehampton held to discuss erosion issues. "It has been a missing link in the past in terms of putting a real entity that has a little bit of teeth in place."

The districts were offered as a solution two years ago in Sagaponack, but inland residents complained about the tax hikes, Throne-Holst said. Now, those residents will be left out of the district and only those whose homes are affected will have to pay into the tax effort. Throne-Holst said homeowners can petition against the districts, but so far response has been positive. The town also has the option of helping monetarily, Throne-Holst said about the devised legislation.

The erosion problems stem from sand buildup by groins, which were constructed in the 1960s by the Army Corps of Engineers, officials said.

Gary Ireland, who organized the meeting, said that sand builds up on the eastern side of the jetties stopping the natural buildup of sand in western areas.

Ireland, an attorney who unsuccessfully brought a case against Suffolk County for the damage of beach erosion in Sagaponack, said it might take a disaster before the federal government steps in to help.

"Before we have a storm like in Westhampton where 200 homes were swallowed or worse like Katrina where lives were lost, we need to address this problem head on," Ireland said.

Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton) said he was in favor of the districts. "I want to encourage as much as I can the pursuit of the erosion control districts," Bishop said, because such districts have a greater certainty in bringing FEMA into the equation and there have been ongoing funding uncertainties, which would be alleviated if at least some of the funding were coming from residents.

Bishop said while the Fire Island to Montauk Beach study by the Army Corps of Engineers probably will be completed next year, it is not an immediate solution to the erosion problem.

Once completed, it will begin a series of public meetings and peer editing by the Army Corps, which may later translate into funding from the federal government.