East Hampton Town OKs $20M Georgica Cove CPF Deal

East Hampton Town is moving forward with a controversial $20 million preservation deal to protect undeveloped coastal grassland on Georgica Cove.

The proposed conservation easement for 41 and 47 Cove Hollow Farm Road would be drawn from the Community Preservation Fund (CPF) — a steep sum, but a major discount from the land’s $46 million appraised value.

The deal, in partnership with the Peconic Land Trust, would protect 5.5 acres of open space that sit right up against Georgica Pond, an area long known for its water quality issues and sensitive wetlands. The land is currently a grassland meadow sloping gently into the cove. If the town moves forward, it would block two fully buildable lots from ever turning into mansions.

“This is a really special property,” said Scott Wilson, the town’s land management director. “You’re looking at tidal wetlands, scenic views, and one of the few functioning coastal meadows left on Long Island.”

Preserving it isn’t just stopping new developments, it’s really protecting what’s already there. The wetlands play a role in flood control and filtering runoff. Several speakers pointed out that Georgica Cove has limited tidal flushing, which makes it especially vulnerable to pollution from septic systems and lawn fertilizer.

The proposed easement would allow for passive public access, including a walking trail and limited parking, while still ensuring the land stays wild and untouched. According to the land trust, this new acquisition would join several other protected parcels in the area, turning the site into part of a nearly 20-acre continuous stretch of preserved land.

John v.H. Halsey, president of the Peconic Land Trust, noted the trust had already raised $35 million in private funding for the project.

On July 17, the Town Board voted to approve the CPF deal in a 3-1 decision. Council member David Lys initially voted “Nay,” while the other three council members voted in favor of the deal. Lys disappointedly shook his head as the final vote was made. Despite concerns about transparency and cost, the board ultimately sided with conservation advocates, sealing off one of the last undeveloped stretches along Georgica Cove. In the end, the town chose to spend $20 million to make sure two luxury homes never get built, without direct local resident support and contribution.

“We couldn’t do this without the town,” he said, adding that similar partnerships had preserved other key East End properties over the past two decades. “This is one of those rare moments where everything lines up.”

Not everyone agreed. One speaker, Springs resident David Buda, criticized the town for potentially exceeding the CPF allocation it’s obligated to spend in the village of East Hampton. He also questioned the transparency of the funding sources and raised concerns about whether this specific parcel is the best use of public money.

But most speakers saw the proposal as a win. Not just for environmentalists but for the whole community. Conservation biologist Bruce Horwith described the area as one of the last remaining ecological strongholds for grassland birds and native plant species. Local residents, including longtime neighbors of the site, pointed to the importance of preserving historic viewsheds and preventing further overdevelopment along the pond.

“If this land gets built on, we’ll never get it back,” one town hall speaker said. “This is a chance to protect something that’s still beautiful and still intact.”