The Southampton Town Board has adopted a Land Disturbance Law — Town Code Chapter 330, Article XIIIA — governing the removal of trees and vegetation and changes to a property's grade. If you own land, are buying, or plan to build, here is what applies before any work begins.
A building permit will not be issued until the Land Disturbance Permit is approved. Both can be filed at the same time — which is why this belongs early in a project timeline, not after you are under contract.
The law applies to all properties in the Town of Southampton — residential, commercial and vacant alike, both inside and outside the Aquifer Protection Overlay District. What changes from one to the next is the threshold at which a permit is triggered.
It also covers far more than tree removal: grading, excavation, trenching, fill, and changes to natural topography or drainage all fall under it.
There are two routes to approval depending on how much of the parcel is being cleared, and eight categories of exemption, each of which still requires an affidavit to be filed.
The full breakdown below sets out the thresholds, the questions that determine whether you need a permit, both application paths, the exemption list and the Town contacts.
The complete guide covers the eight exemption categories, the full application process for both paths, and the Town contacts for the Planning and Building Divisions. Enter your name and email and the download will unlock instantly.
If you are evaluating a property, I am glad to walk through what applies to it before you commit. Call or text 631-207-5820 or email jennifer.ponzini@elliman.com.
This summary is provided for general information only and is not legal advice. Please consult the Town of Southampton or the full text of Town Code Chapter 330, Article XIIIA for complete details.