Southampton - Southampton Town has officially acquired a large parcel in a key preservation area, according to details released from Town Hall.

Located in the hamlet of Riverside, the nearly 20 acre property at 60 Whitebrook Drive is within the Peconic River Target Acquisition Area, which includes a stretch of riverfront wetlands designated a priority for open space preservation efforts.

Councilwoman Bridget Fleming, a sponsor of the measure with Supervisor Anna Throne-Holst, noted that the Peconic River is the centerpiece of the area's estuary system, supplying essential nutrients and minerals to local bays and waterways. The purchased land also joins the Black Creek pond system along Flanders Road and County Road 105.

The largest groundwater fed river in New York State, the Peconic encompasses a variety of habitats and serves as a spawning area for finfish and other species. It is also a critical corridor for boaters, tourists, and recreational and commercial fishermen.

Due to its importance, the parcel and surrounding real estate has been part of the Town's Community Preservation Project Plan which identifies target areas and properties for acquisition for park, recreation, open space and conservation purposes. The Whitebrook property, comprised of 19.7 acres, represents one of the larger purchases made in the hamlet in recent years. When its nine owners expressed an interest in selling late last year, a public hearing was scheduled for November 9. The Town Board then authorized the buy for a price of $175,000 appropriated from the Community Preservation Fund.