I am responding to two articles that appeared in the March 10th edition of The Southampton Press. The first is entitled "Help Wanted: Town Seeks Consultants: Board Seeks Guidance for Pair of Projects." One of these is the proposed PDD, The Bridgehampton Gateway. The article says it is "designed to bring a variety of businesses to the hamlet and promote economic activity ...the Gateway proposal also includes some housing." It goes on to say that "The Town has met with local civic groups several times to the gauge the interest in revitalizing (this) stretch of Montauk Highway--and to ensure the community will benefit. After speaking with several very active members of the Bridgehampton Citizens Advisory Committee who were involved in talks with the Town about this proposed PDD a year ago, none of us at any point remember saying or agreeing to any such thing. None of the residents think Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton needs revitalizing, or that we would like to bring more businesses and economic activity. In fact, the 13 acres in question, except for the Carvel stand, is beautiful open space that is completely undeveloped. Bridgehampton residents, as well as the residents of other hamlets, would like to see it remain that way, especially since the back of the property abuts the environmentally sensitive Kellis Creek, which feeds Kellis Pond. The reality is that one and a half years ago, Bridgehampton residents were eager to prevent a 9,000 square foot CVS from positioning itself on the prominent and busy intersection of Montauk Highway and Lumber Lane. The Town presented plans for a PDD across the street from the Bridgehampton Commons as a way of getting the CVS out of the hamlet center. We were told that this property was already zoned for Highway Business that would not allow a drug store, and that the only way CVS could be moved there was to support a PDD. We were told that it was either that or risk getting a car dealership or a car wash on that property. We were not told that the PDD might be a way for the developer to avoid going first in front of the Town Planning Board and being asked to commission an environmental impact study up front; or that the 90,000 square feet of development allowed under Highway Business zoning would increase under a PDD (how much is still a question), or that the PDD would allow the developer to reduce the number of parking spaces otherwise mandated for new business development . At the February 22nd Bridgehampton CAC meeting, Town Planning and Development Administrator Kyle Collins told us that the Gateway PDD would be 90,000 square feet of business plus an additional 53,000 square feet from 30 second-story apartments and 8 condominium units, which would bring the total to 143,000 square feet of development. The very next evening, at the February 23rd public hearing, Mr. Collins changed these numbers to say the total would be 125,000 square feet. So which is it? But in any case, it was the first time the community had been told the Gateway PDD would have much greater density than the currently zoned Highway Business allowance. It's also true that the PDD would give the owner, Konner Development, eight market-rate condominium units to sell rather than the two, one-family homes for which the property is currently zoned. In another story on the same page, "PDD Timeout Gains Traction," Erin McKinley writes that "it would not apply to PDD applications that have already passed the public hearing stage of pre-application reviews--meaning that...The Gateway in Bridgehampton...would be exempt." However, it is our position that the public hearing stage of pre-application reviews for The Bridgehampton Gateway PDD has NOT passed. In fact, Supervisor Jay Schneiderman suspended the hearings until April 26th, asking Mr. Collins and the Konners to come up with another plan. Therefore, it is our belief that if a PDD moratorium is put into place, that The Bridgehampton Gateway should not be exempt and that the moratorium should apply to this property. Pamela Harwood Chair, Bridgehampton CAC