A seasonal bungalow razed to make way for a year-round home. A historic cottage leveled and replaced with something much larger.

Sound familiar?

It does to virtually every civic group within Southold Town — and they are pressuring the Town Board to take action on house size.

Members of the Orient Association, East Marion Community Association, Cutchogue Civic Association, New Suffolk Civic Association and Mattituck-Laurel Civic Association, appealed to the board during a work session Tuesday, arguing that while each hamlet organization must contend with its own unique issues, house size transcends geographical boundaries.

“We believe that house size limitation is one of the issues among many that brings together many aspects of preserving community character,” said Orient Association president Drianne Benner. “As houses grow incrementally larger, with no constraint or little constant, the nature of that community character that we love is beginning to change.”

Full article in Suffolk Times

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Southold Zoning Update Presentation and Forum – May 24, 2025

Southold Zoning Update Presentation and Forum – May 24, 2025

Heather Lanza, Southold Town’s Planning Department Director presented an overview of Southold’s Zoning Update progress and coordinated breakout sessions for the audience to discuss and document their concerns about Southold's Zoning Update, with a focus on Orient’s interests and participation in the process.
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Saltwater Intrusion Forum

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The Orient Association hosted a Forum on saltwater intrusion on Sunday, October 27th at 2pm in Poquatuck Hall. The ongoing water study points to sea level rise and saltwater intrusion as a substantial threat to the Orient community. Speakers Frederick Stumm, Research Hydrologist, from the US Geological Survey and Greg Nissen from Mermaid Water Solutions will share their knowledge of recent changes in the saltwater levels in coastal areas and how to handle them.
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