The Southampton Town Board has approved the purchase of three residential properties totaling nearly 1.5 acres to expand public open space and safeguard fragile ecosystems across the East End. Backed by $4.3 million in funding from the regional Community Preservation Fund (CPF), the acquisitions target ecologically vulnerable coastal corridors, freshwater wetlands, and valuable public access points along local waterways.
The largest individual purchase involves a 0.6-acre bayfront parcel at 11 West Shore Drive in North Sea. Securing 100 linear feet of shoreline along Little Peconic Bay, the $2.2 million acquisition permanently protects sensitive coastal wetlands and guarantees public access to the water via a private roadway corridor. The remaining purchases expand protection around interior water bodies: a $1.325 million, 0.4-acre lot featuring a private dock at 87 Shore Drive in North Sea, and a $775,000, 0.4-acre parcel at 51 Beach Plum Road in Noyac situated near the Clam Island preserve to protect local freshwater systems.
Financed through the 2% real estate transfer tax enacted across the five Peconic Bay towns, the approvals reinforce municipal efforts to mitigate coastal development pressure and preserve essential natural habitats. By transitioning private parcels into public environmental stewardship, the town continues to leverage preservation revenue to ensure long-term groundwater security, wetland resilience, and shoreline access for surrounding communities.
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