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🐝 Creating More Housing

🐝 Creating More Housing

Greenport’s Housing Push, Third Street Courts, Southold’s Pastor Is Saying Goodbye

Thomas Loncar
May 28, 2026

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Good Morning, North Fork! Some people naturally stay on top of things. This newsletter is for the rest of us.

In today’s North Fork Buzz:

Greenport’s Housing Push
Third Street Courts
Southold’s Pastor Is Saying Goodbye

Ready, Set, Go!

The Lowdown

Greenport’s Housing Push 🏘️

Greenport Village may be inching toward some of its biggest zoning changes in years. At last week’s Village Board work session, the Affordable and Workforce Housing Committee rolled out a proposal aimed at creating more housing without dramatically changing the village’s footprint.

The centerpiece: allowing detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) across all residential neighborhoods by eliminating the village’s R1 and R2 zoning split. That means old garages, barns and accessory buildings could potentially become legal small apartments, with restrictions. Proposed rules would ban short term rentals, require owner occupancy and cap ADUs between 275 and 1,250 square feet.

The committee also floated another idea: allowing third story apartments above downtown storefronts. The pitch is simple, more people living downtown means more people shopping downtown. Trustees seemed open to it, though discussions around affordability requirements are still very much in play.

Get the full story 👉 North Fork Sun

Third Street Courts 🏀

A privately funded proposal to overhaul Greenport’s Third Street basketball courts landed before the Village Board, and while most officials liked the vision, the conversation quickly turned into a balancing act between community space and neighborhood complaints.

Greenport residents Tod Hart and Colin Ratsey pitched a roughly $25,000 renovation plan that would upgrade the longtime courts with quieter polycarbonate backboards, collapsible rims, heavy duty nets and padded poles. The proposal also includes an eight foot hoop for younger kids, hopscotch, four-square, cornhole, a soccer net and nearly 40 trees to create a buffer around the property.

Village officials seemed genuinely appreciative of the offer, especially since the work and materials would be donated by local families and volunteers, but trustees also acknowledged the years of noise complaints tied to the courts. ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

Southold’s Pastor Is Saying Goodbye ⛪

For nearly three decades, the Rev. Dr. Peter Kelley has been one of the steady presences quietly woven into life on the North Fork, showing up for weddings, funerals, crises, celebrations and everything in between.

Now, the longtime pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Southold is retiring after 27 years leading the congregation. His final sermon will be delivered Sunday morning, closing the longest chapter of his ministry.

Pastor Kelley and his wife, Penny, arrived in Southold in 1998 from Pennsylvania, drawn to the small-town feel of the North Fork and the chance to raise their children near the water.

Alongside him through the journey was Penny Kelley, who is also retiring after 21 years as teen services librarian at Southold Free Library. Generations of local kids grew up knowing “Ms. Penny,” and one recent message left on the library blackboard summed things up pretty simply: “We will miss you forever.” ($)

Get the full story 👉 Suffolk Times

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Happenings: Weekend Preview

Friday

🦪 Oyster Night Freshly shucked Peconic Gold oysters and vineyard sunsets make a pretty convincing argument for staying a little longer at Suhru & Lieb Vineyards. Happening the last Friday of each month through August. More Info

🎬 Movie Trivia Movie buffs and wine lovers are getting the spotlight at Clovis Point Vineyard with a trivia night dedicated entirely to iconic films, unforgettable quotes, and deep cut cinema knowledge. More Info

🎥 The American Revolution The fight for independence hits its bleakest chapter in Episode 3 of the Ken Burns series at Peconic Landing as Washington’s army is forced out of New York and retreats across New Jersey through one brutal winter. But just when things look finished, the story turns toward the surprise attack on Trenton. More Info

🎨 In Bloom Espresso martinis, and a fresh lineup of local artwork take over Aldo’s Coffee Co. as the North Fork Art Collective opens its summer show In Bloom. More Info

Saturday

🏀 Basketball Tournament The 2nd Annual Community Kids Basketball Tournament takes over the Aldrich Ln Courts with a full day of hoops, spectator games, and community bragging rights, all while raising scholarship funds for local athletes. More Info

🏓 Pickleball Tournaments One minute it’s a friendly volley, the next someone’s diving for a point like it’s Wimbledon. The “History in the Making” Pickleball Tournaments takes over the Southold Town Pickleball Courts at Tasker Park with both round robin and team tournament play. Round Robin Tournament | Team Tournament

🥁 Japanese Taiko Drumming Some performances you hear, this one you feel in your chest. CAST brings Ryu Shu Kan to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church for a FREE afternoon of Japanese Taiko Drumming as part of the Greenport Cherry Blossom Festival. More Info

🚗 Porsche Club Car Show Somewhere between the vineyard rows and polished hoods, this is basically a car lover’s version of paradise. The Metro NY Porsche Club takes over Pindar Vineyards with a lineup of sleek classics, modern beauties. More Info

🚜 Show and Plow Day The Long Island Antique Power Association fires things up Saturday & Sunday for the Spring Show and Plow Day, bringing vintage farm equipment, live demonstrations, and old school charm. More Info

🎸 Deadwood & Friends Nothing says unofficial start of summer quite like live music on a farm with a drink in hand and nowhere else to be. Deadwood & Friends return to Treiber Farm Saturday & Sunday for two nights of good tunes. More Info

🐶 The Dynamo Dogs Flying Frisbees, barrel tricks, high jumps, and a whole lineup of canine showoffs take over Harbes Barnyard Adventure on Saturday and Sunday. The Dynamo Dogs bring 6–10 athletic pups to the ring for a fast-moving variety show with plenty of tail-wagging theatrics. More Info

💪 Farm Fit Squats hit a little different when there are beehives and farm fields in the background. Certified trainer Sarah Borg leads this beginner friendly full body strength class at Sang Lee Farms, with movements designed for all levels and plenty of room to move at your own pace. More Info

🎹 Kinetic Continuum Piano, light painting, multimedia art, and stargazing all collide at the Custer Institute for Kinetic Continuum, part of the Rites of Spring Music Festival. Featuring pianist Paolo Bartolani alongside light artist Alina Wilczynski. More Info

Sunday

🍽️ A Joyful Dinner Long dinners, good wine, and conversations that get better with every course. Slow Food East End hosts A Joyful Dinner: Sunday Supper at Noah’s as part of the national dinner series celebrating good, clean, and fair food with a strong sense of community around the table. More Info

📚 Book Club Books and wine pair pretty well already, but Pellegrini Vineyards is adding two acclaimed writers to the mix with Tom Junod and Julie Satow in conversation for the Wine Around the North Fork Book Club. The afternoon centers around Junod’s new memoir, In the Days of My Youth I Was Told What It Means to Be a Man. More Info

⛵ SYC Open House Curious what actually goes on behind those marina gates? The Southold Yacht Club is opening things up for an all ages look at the club, with a chance to learn about sailing programs, and everything the club offers beyond just boats in slips. More Info

^{_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. They’re just fun things you need to know. I’ll always let you know when something is sponsored}}

Live Music + Fun Breakdown

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Tom Loncar- Publisher
Nicole Loncar- Editor + Partnerships

🐝 Creating More Housing

Greenport’s Housing Push, Third Street Courts, Southold’s Pastor Is Saying Goodbye

Together With

Sponsored By North Fork Sights, Bites & Flights

See the North Fork Like You Haven’t Before 🍷🦪

The Lowdown

Greenport’s Housing Push 🏘️

Third Street Courts 🏀

Southold’s Pastor Is Saying Goodbye ⛪

Sponsored by Quilts by Kate Douglass

Happenings: Weekend Preview

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Live Music + Fun Breakdown

Thursday

Friday

THANKS!