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Attorney John Bennett thanked the Southampton Town Trustees for approving his client
The Southampton Town Trustees voted during their meeting on Monday to issue a permit that will allow Larry Hoffman to build a 16-slip marina next to his East Quogue restaurant. The decision comes following more than four years of deliberations on the project.
The Trustees added one caveat before approving the plan that gives them the right to modify the permit should the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation determine that the marina has caused a shellfishing closure.
Mr. Hoffman’s attorney, John Bennett of Bennett and Read in Southampton objected to the new stipulation but thanked board members for their time and for approving the project.
The permit will allow Mr. Hoffman to build a dock, including nine permanent boat slips and seven transient boat slips, adjacent to Dockers Waterside Restaurant and Marina, located at 94 Dune Road. The permit prohibits dredging near the marina and overnight sleeping on the boats utilizing the slips. It also restricts the size of boats that can dock at the marina to 25 feet or less.
Trustees Jon Semlear, Eric Shultz, Ed Warner Jr. and Fred Havemeyer all voted in favor of the proposal. Trustee Brian Tymann recused himself from all discussions pertaining to the marina and from the vote.
Prior to the trustees’ vote, Hampton Bays Civic Association President Bob McAlevy attended the meeting to air his concerns on the project despite the fact that the public hearing regarding the matter had been adjourned. Mr. Bennett pointed out that Mr. McAlevy was speaking on the record, even though he could not legally do so and asked that he refrain from commenting.
Mr. McAlevy protested that the Trustees were acting unfairly and demanded to be heard. Mr. Semlear answered that it was not a question of fairness but “a question of following the letter of the law.” Mr. McAlevy then exited the room.
The approved plan has been scaled back substantially from the original proposal, submitted in February 2004, which called for a 56-slip marina, a fueling station and the dredging of a canal from the restaurant to Shinnecock Bay.
