Letters

On December 14, the Southampton Town Planning Board held a public hearing to consider the presubmission/special exemption site plan for Budhampton, the Konner family’s proposal to convert the current Carvel ice cream store on Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton into an adult, nonmedicinal cannabis shop.

This comes at a time when the Town Board just created the Bridgehampton Main Street Historic District only a few feet away from the Konner property. Should Budhampton be the gateway to the new Bridgehampton Main Street Historic District?

All incorporated villages in Southampton Town (as well as the Town of East Hampton!) voted to “opt out” of pot shops, knowing they could opt in later if they changed their minds. But after the Shinnecock Nation announced their intention to sell marijuana, Jay Schneiderman stated he wanted the town to benefit from the tax revenue. The Town Board voted to allow these in its unincorporated hamlets, knowing that once you opt in, you cannot opt out, per New York State Law.

Many people showed up at the hearing, both in person and on Zoom, to speak out against this proposal. We were told by Planning Board Chair Jacqui Lofaro that we could only comment on the proposed appearance of the store, not on the nature of the business, which discouraged some people from speaking. In addition, it was noted afterward that at least two people had “raised hands” on Zoom but were not admitted to speak.

But even though the town has allowed pot shops in the highway business zoning, they still require a special exemption, and they still require a state-approved license holder.

What is left out of the Budhampton application is the name of the license holder. State rules for nonmedicinal cannabis dispensaries have allowed only 23 licenses to be given so far, and only to “justice-involved” applicants who own at least 51 percent of the business. This will soon be open to minorities and other limited applicants.

At the hearing, I asked twice who the license holder is on the Budhampton application, and no one answered my question. If there is no current license holder attached to this business, isn’t it premature to have a public hearing, even on a presubmission, to consider the site plan?

And could it be that this is all smoke and mirrors, and a bargaining chip to be used later for the Konners’ plan to build six 15,000-square-foot commercial buildings on the rest of the property?

Pamela Harwood

President

Bridgehampton Civic Association