It’s common among preservationists on the East End of Long Island, N.Y., to regard the town of Southampton as lax in its allowance of development and other commercial concerns. There’s some basis* for that, especially in contrast to the town of East Hampton, but just as much reason to see dilatoriness in getting projects approved when time is definitely money. A recent example is the extended consideration of marijuana dispensaries. Because these are supposed to be fast-tracked under a New York state law, Southampton officials are being brought to account, and this week they were ruled against, as noted in the local Press. (In court in a different case, the town has fared better.) Now, there’s a political backdrop to this situation that puts it beyond the usual zoning and permitting processes: Under the state law, towns could “opt-out” of the weed-selling allowance, which some of Southampton’s neighbors did. But, led by its former supervisor, Jay Schneiderman, the town board chose to allow the shops, subject to siting limitations. Schneiderman said he worried about losing tax revenue by opting-out, especially given that dope can be sold regardless on the self-ruled Shinnecock tribal land within the town. In the event, a flurry of dispensary applications was received, and sentiment in Southampton (as well as the composition of the board) has changed. State law prevents an opt-in town from changing its mind, however, so an alternative is to slow-walk site approvals, perhaps mindful that delay could effectively mean denial to a startup business with mounting bills. That is what pot-shop enthusiasts say is happening (here’s the latest lawsuit against the town, over an abandoned Hampton Bays site). On the other side, opponents surely will give the officials grief over any dispensaries that do open. Much in the way, you might say, other groundbreakings in the far-from-chill Hamptons evoke cries of laxity.
* At board meetings in town there can be a seeming chumminess toward developers’ agents, though this can stem from past relationships. Many of these hired guns are former town officials themselves.
Tim W. Ferguson 