Letters

Readers may recall last summer’s outcry over the new owners of the Hidden Cove Marina’s efforts to “improve” the property: Over the course of three months, they made numerous unpermitted and in some cases downright illegal modifications to the buildings and property. These transgressions continued into the offseason, despite the town’s tagging the property in September 2023 with a stop-work order. It seems that the new owner prefers the “ask forgiveness versus ask permission” route, a strategy he knows works all too well in this town.

After being caught by the town in September and fessing up to some of their illegal work on the property, Yacht Hampton submitted an application for an “administrative site plan review.” This is basically a rubber-stamp approach to cleaning up one’s act, which typically is accompanied by a very cursory review by the town’s Planning Division. But our community’s independent review indicated that most of the changes implemented without the required permits were not even addressed in the application. An errant omission? An honest mistake? You be the judge.

Kudos to Jacqui Lofaro and the Town of Southampton Planning Board for rejecting Yacht Hampton’s poorly crafted, incomplete attempt at slipping their request for an administrative site plan review under the town’s noses. Instead, following an onslaught of community letters and on-site presence in the board meeting’s audience, the Planning Board sent Joseph Ialacci back to the drawing board, compelling him to pursue a full site plan review, including presenting at a public hearing, where we all can voice our continuing concerns over this unwelcome enterprise.

Looking forward to the public hearing.

Barbara Lamb

Noyac