East Hampton Planning and Zoning Approves Moosebrook Road Subdivision, ADU on Crooked Ledge Road
Planning and Zoning · Meeting of September 3, 2025
CT EAST HAMPTON — East Hampton Planning and Zoning approved a farm subdivision on Moosebrook Road and an accessory-dwelling-unit permit on Crooked Ledge Road at its September 3 meeting. Chair Paul Deamond and members Mark Darnold and Jim Labrie voted 3-0 on both items. Applicant Brian Huntley received endorsement of an Approval Not Required plan to split roughly 6 acres from a 55-acre property at 98 Moosebrook Road, with the remaining 49 acres staying under Chapter 61 farmland protection.
The board also approved an ADU building permit for 70 Crooked Ledge Road — a roughly 530-square-foot standalone unit proposed by a contractor from Northboro, Massachusetts — citing state law that makes such units permissible by right even though the town's own ADU zoning amendment has not yet cleared the attorney general. Members flagged a potential Title 5 violation, noting the proposed leach field may fall within 100 feet of the planned well, and directed Deamond to include a precautionary note for the health and building departments.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 958 words
Source: the Planning and Zoning meeting of September 3, 2025, reported from the official video recording and transcript.
EAST HAMPTON — September 3, 2025 — East Hampton's Planning and Zoning Commission approved a two-lot subdivision on Moosebrook Road and endorsed an accessory-dwelling-unit building permit on Crooked Ledge Road at its September 3 meeting, clearing two applications in a brief session attended by three members.
Chair Paul Deamond presided over the meeting alongside members Mark Darnold and Jim Labrie. A fourth member, referred to only as Mr. Fregal, was absent. The board moved through both items quickly and adjourned without taking up any additional formal business.
The Full Story
The first item was an Approval Not Required application submitted by Brian Huntley for property at 98 Moosebrook Road. Huntley, who appeared before the board and shared a survey plan prepared by Northeast Surveys, described a roughly 55-acre parcel that the town assessor's maps show as three separate lots. He is seeking to split off approximately 6 acres on the south side of Moosebrook Road — roughly half of a 12-acre section — to create a separately deeded parcel on which he intends to build a home. The remaining approximately 49 acres, Huntley said, will stay in a trust, remain enrolled in the state's Chapter 61 farmland classification, and continue as active farmland.
"All of the remaining 49 acres will remain in the trust, will remain in Chapter 61, will remain as active farmland for the foreseeable future or the rest of my life, hopefully." [No timestamp index supplied] — Brian Huntley, applicant
Board members raised no substantive objections. Deamond confirmed with Huntley that a new property address for the newly created parcel would not be needed at this time, as 98 Moosebrook Road already carries an address tied to existing sheds on the property. Darnold made the motion to endorse the ANR plan; Labrie seconded. All three members voted in favor.
Deamond told Huntley the signed plans would be left at the town clerk's office by early the next morning and reminded him the office would not be open Friday.
The second item was a building permit review for an accessory dwelling unit at 70 Crooked Ledge Road. Deamond explained that East Hampton's new ADU zoning, adopted at a June town meeting, has not yet received formal sign-off from the state attorney general, but that town counsel — identified in the meeting only as Richard — had advised the board that state law already allows ADUs by right regardless of whether the local zoning amendment has been approved. That state mandate, Deamond said, supersedes local zoning in the interim.
The permit application lists the contractor as Lackish Enterprises of Northboro, Massachusetts, with Harold Mariani of Northboro as the construction supervisor. Plans were prepared by a firm described as Tiny Homes, located in the eastern part of the state. The property owner was said to be relocating from Montana.
The proposed structure is a small, standalone one-bedroom unit of approximately 530 square feet — below the state's 900-square-foot floor-area threshold. Labrie flagged a concern about the septic design: he noted that the proposed leach field appeared to be within 100 feet of the proposed well, which he said would violate Title 5 requirements. Deamond agreed to note the issue in his comments for the health department and building department to address, but said it was not within the Planning and Zoning board's direct purview to act on it.
Members also discussed a possible condition requiring the applicant to return to the board if land disturbance exceeded 40,000 square feet, triggering stormwater review. Deamond said he would include a notification of that requirement as well, even though he did not expect the small project to hit that threshold.
"I hate for sure that people will start building and they find out they can't do what they anticipate." [No timestamp index supplied] — Jim Labrie, Planning and Zoning member
Members also briefly discussed a pending Maple Street merger question that had been referred to town counsel. The matter involves two adjacent nonconforming parcels under common ownership that, under state law, would automatically merge. Deamond said he had forwarded town counsel's review to the assessors and the applicant's attorney, identified in the transcript only as attorney Rezos, but had received no response in more than 10 days. The board agreed to wait for the applicant to bring the matter back before acting further.
"I was more confused with the last paragraph than I wasn't with the first three." [No timestamp index supplied] — Paul Deamond, Chair, on town counsel's Maple Street opinion
Why It Matters
The Moosebrook Road ANR is a procedural step that will allow Huntley to place a home site on a portion of land currently held in trust, while protecting the bulk of a 55-acre working farm under Chapter 61. No public infrastructure investment is involved, but the board's endorsement starts the clock on recording the new deed.
The Crooked Ledge Road ADU approval is a test case for East Hampton's new ADU policy framework. State law now allows these units by right, meaning the town has limited grounds to deny them even before its own zoning amendment clears the attorney general's office. How the board handles permit review — particularly the question of land-disturbance calculations and coordination with the health department on Title 5 compliance — will set the pattern for future ADU applications as more property owners learn of the by-right option.
Key Motions & Votes
- Vote: Endorse ANR plan as presented for 98 Moosebrook Road (Huntley) Tally: For: 3, Against: 0, Abstain: 0, Total: 3
- Vote: Approve ADU building permit for 70 Crooked Ledge Road Tally: For: 3, Against: 0, Abstain: 0, Total: 3
- Vote: Adjourn Tally: Approved unanimously
Source
East Hampton's community access TV: Planning and Zoning meeting, September 3, 2025