Memorial Day kicks off summer — and the influx of seasonal residents to the Hamptons.
But it’s not all sunshine and revelry. Prompted by a vocal group of year-round residents, several towns on Long Island’s East End are imposing ever stricter laws and regulations, casting a shadow over the region’s vibrant summer scene.
Perhaps the most visible example to residents and tourists alike is Duryea’s, which was only allowed to open this summer because the New York state supreme court stepped in, sources told me.
As I’ve previously reported, the beloved Montauk restaurant, which is owned by Marc Rowan, has faced years of legal action. First the Town of East Hampton demanded it upgrade the septic system and then prohibited it from getting the permits needed to do so. Earlier this month, it looked like Duryea’s might be closed for the whole summer.
But, I’m told, the State Supreme Court has intervened and allowed the installation of a state-of-the art septic system, enabling the restaurant to open for the upcoming holiday weekend, though litigation with the town is still pending.
The Duryea’s drama is just the latest in a string of sagas. Town boards in the Hamptons are infamous for trying to micromanage everything from leaf blower usage and landscape lighting wattage to whether people can spontaneously dance at a tavern.
Over the past year, pickleball courts, house size and who can fly into the public airport have been primary targets. The regulations have frustrated businesses and restaurants, pushing some to flee to summer locales with less red tape.
Last fall, East Hampton and Southampton cracked down on residential pickleball courts and their noise. A new law demands that “Pickleball courts must be surrounded on three sides by an eight-foot sound-attenuation wall, placed no further than 10 feet from the edge of the court, constructed of a minimum of ¾-inch planking.” Such soundproofing can cost homeowners upwards of $100,000.
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This comes after towns like North Haven enacted a six-month moratorium on any residential pickleball courts being built — or tennis courts being transformed to pickleball courts.
In December, the town of East Hampton passed a law that will not only prevent anyone from building a home larger than 10,000-square-foot, in an effort to preserve the town’s “rural character,” but also limit any new homes (or expansion) to just 10% of a lot’s square footage. For instance, a quarter-acre lot would now only allow a 2,000-square-foot home, while a half-acre would only permit a 3,600 square foot home, making it impossible for residents to work towards building a sun room or remodel a smaller home. The new law goes into effect July 1.
The Town of East Hampton is also still embroiled in a legal dispute over its airport — the Hampton’s primary airport. Over the past three years, the town has spent more than $5 million on lawyers as it tries to limit flights and noise. It is just the latest move in the decade-old legal battle.
Of course, the town putting the squeeze on business owners is not new. Business owners tell me they still keep the flame alive for iconic advertising executive Jerry Delefemaina. In 1997, he was arrested and handcuffed for placing Thanksgiving decorations — hay bales, corn stalks and pumpkins — outside his Redhorse Food Market in East Hampton. The town said it violated a rule that prohibits stores from advertising on the property outside their storefront.
While it’s still a rallying cry, it’s also a sign that over the decades not much seems to have changed.
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