Library Gets Final Approval

The wait is finally over; the has all the necessary approvals to move forward with its long-awaited children's wing.

Dennis Fabiszak, the library director, said the the has approved site plan review for the Main Street library's 6,800 square foot addition during a meeting on Wednesday evening at . 

The decision, which was expected, comes after an eight years process and a landmark court decision that overturned a village zoning board of appeals decision. Late last month, the as final plans were drawn up to reflect months of discussion. 

"We are very happy to have our permit and look forward to breaking ground early this Spring," Fabiszak said on Wednesday night. He said he received stamped approval from the Suffolk County Health Department in the mail on Tuesday.

"We want to thank the DRB sub-committee that met with us many times to work out all of the details of the site plan," Fabiszak said, referring to committee members are Jim McMullan, Bruce Siska and Sal Ranieri.

A six-page draft determination had been prepared for the meeting.

"We are delighted with the site plan that was unanimously approved tonight by the Design Review Board," said Tom Twomey, the chairman of the library board of managers.

"The community is going to be very pleased with the new addition both inside and out," he said. "The library board is determined to make the East Hampton Library one of the finest small libraries in the country. This new addition might just do that."

The library has already raised $3.2 million for the estimated $4 to $4.5 million project. The official fundraising campaign has not yet begun, but the library has secured donations from donors, such as .

In May 2011, the the library, which is in a residential district, required to build a new children's wing, reversing a decision made by the ZBA in 2010. The library board spent over $300,000 on legal fees throughout the eight years and upwards of half a million dollars including architects, engineer, traffic consultants and other fees.

The justice found that the character of the neighborhood on Main Street -- which has churches, museums, restaurants and inns nearby -- would be preserved.

The project still required a determination from the village's design review board, despite the court decision.