| Issue #49, March 16, 2007 |
TWO TREES DEVELOPMENT APPROVED – POLO STAYS?
By David Stoll
After a decade of litigation, regulatory snags and many Town hearings, owner David Walentas’ plan to subdivide Two Tree Farms has received preliminary approval from the Southampton Town’s Planning Board, although with some modifications. Two Trees Farms is the nearly 115-acre property with a massive polo field on Hayground Road at lower Millstone Road, where people have gone to ride horses and attend glorious polo games and summer benefits.
Under the plan, more than half of the land — 61.5 acres, including the horse farm and polo fields as well as open space — will be designated as agricultural reserve, while the remainder will be turned into lots.
Specifically, the remaining 53.5 acres will be turned into 35 lots, ranging in size from 37,000 square feet to 100,000 square feet, which is roughly three-quarters of an acre to a bit over two acres. A 3,000 square foot house and pool can easily fit on 37,000 square feet. A lot the size of 100,000 square feet can accommodate all but the largest McMansions.
Also, as part of the plan, a 20-foot-wide lane will be built, along with a loop street and two cul-de-sacs, to provide access to all of the lots. However, the Planning Board would not allow the placement of one of these roads on the northern part of the property, nor may 16 of lots be located on the southwestern part of the property, because that would have interrupted otherwise contiguous areas of reserve. A planned tennis court has been rejected, as well.
Existing structures on the giant property will remain. There are already two residences and an eight-unit apartment, as well as two shops, a silo, and (most importantly to horse riders) two horse stables (two stories each), a third horse stable with an office, and a horse-riding arena. As part of the pending approval, the Planning Board has required that Mr. Walentas obtain a special exemption permit for horse farm use.
So, what does this all mean for horseback riders, polo players and benefit attendees? Mr. Walentas could not be reached for comment, but it seems clear that riders do not have too much to worry about. The horse stables will remain and can, therefore, continue to be rented out; indeed, the horse farm exemption will be obtained for that purpose. Also, thanks to the Planning Board’s insistence that the subdivision plans be amended to ensure that two otherwise separate reserve areas remain contiguous, there will be plenty of space for riding. While riders will not be able to ride on the new parcels (which will eventually be owned privately by people other than Mr. Walentas), the 61.5 acres of reserve, which includes the existing riding facility and polo field, will still be available for riding. While this does mean that riders will have only half as much space on which to trail ride as before, it still represents a nice chunk of land.
Summer benefits would seem to present a problem, however. It is one thing for Two Trees Farm to agree to allow a charity to use land it owns for a function, but it is not clear whether a charity can obtain a permit to use what will become the public reserve space. Even if such a permit could, in theory, be obtained, the owners of the lots being created now might object and persuade the Town agencies in charge to deny any permit applications. It may be that the Two Trees land will see the end to summer benefits quite soon. Having attended a wonderful benefit there, this writer is disappointed.
But there are far more riders who use the Two Trees property than there are party-goers, and while they will not have as much riding space anymore, at least they will soon be able to gaze upon the beauty of 35 brand new, sparkling houses and McMansions.
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