In March 2021, NY State enacted legislation legalizing non-medical cannibis dispensaries. Towns had until December 31, 2021 to opt out. All of the incorporated villages opted out. However, without holding so much as a town hall, public meeting or otherwise seeking any input from the affected taxpayers and residents, and despite the final regulations not even having been published, Supervisor Schneiderman and the then Town Board chose to not opt-out, effectively opting in. This had the effect of unfairly burdening the unincorporated hamlets such as Bridgehampton, and we are now seeing the impact of this poor decision making.

Greg Konner proposed and received approval from the Planning Board to convert our beloved Carvel into one of these pot shops, although it has been put temporarily on hold awaiting state DOT changes and perhaps development of the surrounding parcels which are also under common ownership. He had previously proposed a subdivision of those surrounding parcels for a shopping center. The new proposal is for a similar subdivision of the properties but without specification of the intended use. The matter is in the pre-application stage before the Planning Board.

Development is a natural progression in a vital hamlet, especially one as desirable as Bridgehampton. At the same time, the rampant overdevelopment we have seen in recent years has led to burdens on our infrastructure, resources and quality of life. We are currently focused on the overdevelopment and intensification of use at Topping Rose and 372 Lumber Lane.

Our agricultural reserves, wetlands, woodlands, Aquifer Protection Overlay Districts, and greenways are under attack. We are staunch supporters of maintaining the legal covenants between the Town of Southampton and the property owners that dictate the kinds dictate the kinds of activities and development that can take place on our agricultural and other reserves and greenways, especially where CPF funds have been used to purchase development rights. We also work to protect our Aquifer Protection Overlay Districts and wetlands by advocating that Town officials enforce the codes concerning over-clearing and improper revegetation on these parcels. We have had recent success protecting several of our precious Bridgehampton agricultural reserves including: 625 Butter Lane Ag Reserve; North Edge Stables (at the corner of Lumber Lane and Scuttle Hole Road); and Two Trees. We are currently focused on the proposed subdivision at 732 Lumber Lane, which will include an Ag Reserve.

Our directors worked with the Town’s Landmarks and Historic Districts Board, attending every meeting, to urge our elected officials to create a Bridgehampton Historic District. BridgeCivic co-sponsored an application and in December 2023 changes to the Town Code were adopted finally making the Bridgehampton Main Street Historic District a reality, stretching from Snake Hollow Road to Ocean Road!

We have already seen the fruits of our efforts with LHDB reviewing both the two new buildings proposed at the corner of Butter Lane and Montauk Highway and the new Farrell building on Montauk Highway!

We are now working with the Town’s Landmarks and Historic Districts Board to create a second Bridgehampton Historic District that will surround the Main Street Historic District and protect historic structures in the heart of our hamlet.

As the former CAC we were able to successfully advocate for the installation of new sidewalks, crosswalks with enhanced safety features, and other measures to enhance pedestrian and traffic safety. At the top of the list of quality of life issues brought to our attention is the increase in traffic and noise that the recent expansion of development has brought to our Hamlet. We work with officials and advocate for further measures to improve safety, such as lower speed limits and driver feedback signs, increased enforcement including a dedicated traffic officer for our Hamlet at peak hours, and improved signage and visibility at some 4-way intersections. We work with town officials and code enforcement to address the almost 24/7 barrage of noise from outdoor events, amplified music, landscaping equipment and construction that threatens the peaceful serenity of our Hamlet.

We are proud to announce the introduction of an all-way stop at the intersection of Maple and Lumber Lane and at Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike and Narrow Lane! Thank you to Michael Iasilli and the rest of the Town Board that supported this measure!

We are also proud to announce the installation of crosswalks near the Bridgehampton Train Station to address pedestrian safety from increased overcrowding! Thank you to Board Member Susan White for spearheading the effort and working with the Town!

The lack of enforcement of many aspects of the Southampton Town Code is among the main frustrations of our residents. When reviewing boards like the Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals grant variances and special exception permits for certain projects, it is easy to question whether those boards aren’t, in effect, rewriting Town Code without legislative or due process. We have also seen instances when the Building Department, the Planning Board, and Code Enforcement are slow to follow up, sometimes resulting in violations that are not cured on agricultural easements for years, if at all, on residential properties, on Aquifer Protection Overlay Districts, wetlands, with noise and dark skies compliance, illegal rentals, obtrusive signage, and litter, among other matters. BridgeCivic takes a holistic view of the land use and development issues affecting the region to work toward efficient resolutions.

We are working with the Town of Southampton to restore the facilities that once graced Scott Cameron Beach and to add facilities at Mecox Beach, including for accessibility.

While neighboring facilities provide full-day services, Southampton Town continues to operate many of its beach parks as it did 25 years ago, despite dramatic changes in beach use, population and public expectations.

Neither of our beaches offers ADA-accessible restrooms, drinking fountains or bottle-filling stations. East Hampton has invested in accessible infrastructure that benefits everyone, proving these improvements are both practical and achievable.

Town officials have said lifeguard coverage and other services (including keeping bathrooms open) end before Labor Day because many college students return to school. Yet, East Hampton, New York State, and private beach clubs have consistently found ways to provide lifeguards and maintain services through Labor Day weekend.

Our beaches are among Southampton’s greatest public assets. They should reflect the quality of the community they serve.

As the former CAC, we successfully advocated for planting new height-appropriate and mostly native variety trees along Bridgehampton Main Street, and we are now advocating to establish a town-wide comprehensive tree planting, replacement and maintenance program, a project contemplated by the Town’s Comprehensive Plan of 1999 that to date has not come to fruition.

The Town recently adopted legislation requiring a permit before clearing an area in excess of 800 sq feet (roughty the size of a swimming pool) on residential properties of a half acre or more and over 1000 sq feet on commercial properties. It also requires that “significant trees” (defined as healthy trees at least 25 feet tall or possessing a trunk diameter of 18 inches or greater) be preserved to the extent practicable. While the legislation will not stop the clear cutting problem, it is in our view a good step in the right direction, requiring notice in advance instead of simply allowing property owners to seek forgiveness later. We would like to thank both the Town Board for their leadership and the community for their support in passing this legislation.

The Town had also proposed a second code amendment elating to the planting of trees, shrubs and bushes near property lines but it was tabled. We continue to monitor it.

Hamlet office zoning called for one affordable apartment for each 1000 square feet in any building over 3000 square feet. However, with variances granted, few have materialized. Workforce and possible senior housing is being added to the Bridgehampton Senior Center as part of its renovation. Additional workforce housing can now be added to golf courses for their employees with a new code amendment and an application from the golf club.

Under new NY State law, towns can opt to be designated a “Pro Housing Community”. While at first glance this may seem to be a great benefit to Southampton, giving Southampton preference for certain state grant money, it is more complicated. Like with the pot shop law, the incorporated villages have not yet all made their decisions. This means that were the incorporated villages to opt out, and the Town to opt in, it would be the unincorporated hamlets like Bridgehampton that would bear the entirety of building the new housing. Although it is not mandatory, to take advantage of the grant preference, Southampton would need to show a 1% growth in new housing each year. For an already overburdened and overdeveloped East End with traffic nightmares, this would heavily tax our already stretched thin infrastructure.

BridgeCivic has urged the Town Board to take their time, unlike with the pot shops, and study the issue more carefully before deciding whether to opt in, as Southampton may opt in at any time in the future.

The town is renovating the Bridgehampton Senior Center on the Bridgehampton Sag Harbor Turnpike. As part of this renovation, the town will be adding affordable workforce and possible senior housing, the first of its kind for our hamlet. We continue to offer our input on the project to the town and are awaiting more detailed plans.