Montauk Beach Restoration Project Town of East Hampton, Suffolk County, Long Island, New York January 2013 1
Montauk Montauk is the easternmost hamlet on Long Island Only 20 square miles, Montauk boasts of a unique military history; is the site of the oldest cattle ranch in the United States; is home of the first Lighthouse in New York state a national landmark; and boasts the largest commercial and recreational fishing fleet in New York State. 2
Montauk s History Montauk is considered a beach resort Designed originally in 1926 by Carl Fisher to be the Miami Beach of the North, Montauk turns from a sleepy winter fishing village of 4000 year round residents to a summertime tourist hotspot attracting up to 100,000 summertime residents and visitors. The number one attraction to Montauk are its beaches, the water that embraces these beaches and the accommodations that put these visitors in proximity of these assets. 3
Demographics Median resident age 40.0 years Average household size 2.6 people Median household income - $51,693 Median real property tax bill - $4,537 Median home value - $758,016 4
Economic Engine Gosman s Restaurant Gurney s Inn The Montauk Manor The Sloppy Tuna 5
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Montauk s Contributions to Long Island/New York Economy Montauk is home to nearly 60 owner-operated small hotel/motels and 100 restaurants that define the local tourism industry and fuel the Eastern Long Island economic engine: Estimated 2012 Montauk Hotel/Motel Revenue Approximately $118 million Sales tax on lodging collected in Montauk - Approximately $9.4 Million Hotel/Motel Tax collected in Montauk Approximately $ 2.7 million Montauk generated $910 million in tourism Revenue 2012. Montauk generates 37% of the tourism revenue in Suffolk County over 19% of Long Island tourism revenue. Downtown Business Property Tax annual contribution - $10 Million Tax contribution based on dwelling assessment - $7.5 Million 7
Sample Businesses Gurney s Inn State and County Sales Tax: $1.1 million Annual Operating Budget: $20.8 million Real Property Tax: $280k Annual Payroll: $9 million Number of Employees: 275 Royal Atlantic Resort State and County Sales Tax: $775k Real Property Tax: $178k Annual Payroll: $1.35 million Number of Employees: 76 8
U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 2010-1118 The New England and Mid-Atlantic shoreline are thought to be eroding primarily because of sea-level rise and climatic change The only bluffed coasts in the Mid-Atlantic are along the eastern portion of the Long Island region at Montauk, NY and at several locations in New Jersey There are few visible engineering structures east of Westhampton Beach except for several groins in the East Hampton area and a large riprap seawall at Montauk Point. There are many rock revetments and bulkheads on individual properties that are generally buried in sand except during large storms 9
Sandy s Impact on Montauk 10
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Solution A no greater than 2.3 mile engineered beach to protect downtown Montauk and low lying residential areas from encroachment of the ocean. Downtown Montauk, fronted on the ocean by motels and condominium units, is the economic engine and tourist destination for the hamlet of Montauk and much of East Hampton town. Room occupants are the seasonal revenue producers for many of the restaurants, bars, pizza shops, retail stores, tackle shops and gas stations. For every dollar spent on a room, another eight dollars is spent on other venues in the downtown areas. These unprotected motels are a major source of sales tax revenues for the county and provide a large amount of property and school taxes to the Town. Property tax assessments are based some 75% of the dwelling value and the remainder on the land. Without protecting these assets, the economic stimulus of the asset to the hamlet is severely threatened. 14
Montauk Restoration Project 15
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