Southold Board Approves One-Year Hotel Moratorium 

The Southold Town Board unanimously voted to implement a one-year moratorium on the review, approval and issuance of permits for new resorts, hotels and motels on June 18.

The moratorium was driven by growing concerns among residents and civic organizations about the impact of unchecked development on Southold’s infrastructure and environment. Southold Town is currently updating its zoning code, a process expected to be completed by March 2025. This update is anticipated to include significant revisions to regulations concerning hotels and other transient housing establishments.

“I understand the call for a broader moratorium. I think people understand the complications with that,” Southold Town Supervisor Al Krupski said. “The board is committed to completing the zoning update in March.”

The urgency for these changes is underscored by five pending hotel proposals that could collectively add up to 180 new hotel rooms to the area.

John Armentano, an attorney with Farrell Fritz representing 9025 Main Street LLC, the former Capital One Bank headquarters, spoke at the meeting and asked for an exemption from the moratorium for an existing property that is looking to be redeveloped.

“Redevelopment is very different than new development,” he explained.

His client’s proposal was submitted to the town in 2021 and has been revised and reduced, but it has not been approved.

Civic and environmental groups in Southold have been asking for a broader moratorium while Southold finishes the zoning update. Members of these groups spoke at the board meeting, calling for a broader moratorium to safeguard the community’s interests.

In a letter dated April 10 to the town board members from the North Fork Civics coalition, they called for a broader moratorium.

“The size, scale, number, and complexity of development proposals now being discussed or coming before the town clearly have the capacity to negatively alter the town’s future character, resources, and infrastructure, and to permanently impact the way of life that is enjoyed and supported by town residents,” the letter, read aloud at the town board meeting, said. “Such an outcome would be a travesty for the town and its residents.”

Chuck Simon of Southold highlighted the transient nature of hotel guests and its contrast with the declining local school enrollment. Anne Murray, the Southold land use coordinator from the North Fork Environmental Council, urged for a more extensive moratorium, fearing irreversible changes to one of the region’s last pristine areas.

“I am here to say it’s great that you are doing a moratorium but … I think a hotel/motel is too limited,” Murray said. “Consider expanding the moratorium before it’s too late. We live in one of the last pretty places.”