N.Y. Erosion Tax Districts

 

Many Long Island beaches are narrow and vulnerable to erosion during stormy conditions.

Proposed Beach Erosion Control Districts in Long Island, N.Y.?EUR??,,????'???s Southampton Town are moving forward at the local government level.
Southampton Town Supervisor Patrick Heaney introduced the tax and presented a resolution authorizing town officials to prepare maps and reports for its establishment at an August meeting. The districts are known as Tiana, Southampton West, and Southampton East, and their combined assessed value is $1.4 billion.

There are five public beaches in those districts, but municipal properties are not included.

The tax would target residents in three sections in town according to their property values in order to create a reserve fund for immediate re-nourishment of beaches as needed.

Last winter, storms battered the coastline with high winds and high tides impairing several beaches. Most notable among them is Tiana Beach in Hampton Bays, where officials feared rapidly deteriorating dunes would result in a breach of the barrier island into Shinnecock Bay. Coastal residents ?EUR??,,????'??+ many in Sagaponack ?EUR??,,????'??+ were also vulnerable to property damage.