Southampton Town Attorney Tiffany Scarlato’s office enforced a temporary restraining order this week against a Bridgehampton estate that was being used as a for-hire party spot.
The restraining order was issued by a Suffolk County judge on Friday afternoon, just hours before the house at 772 Middle Line Highway was to host a $95-per-head party that had been advertised online as running from Friday night through Sunday afternoon.
“They were running a commercial enterprise,” Ms. Scarlato said. “There have been complaints about this property throughout the summer. We got the restraining order ... for this one, because it was open to the public.”
The town attorney said the house is owned by Kevin Sorbo, an actor who portrayed Hercules in the movie of the same name, but was being leased by Claude Zandow, who was issued violations for breaking town codes restricting the use of residential buildings for commercial purposes. He faces misdemeanor charges in Southampton Town Justice Court and is due to appear in court next month.
The party did go on, however—just at a different location. Ms. Scarlato said that the party, which was billed as a fundraiser for Building Blocks for Change, was already in the process of being moved when she went to the Middle Line Highway property on Thursday, August 21, to post a notice of the pending court action. “On the front porch there were boxes of Beach magazines and cups and champagne glasses all ready to go,” she said. “They knew it was coming.”
The party apparently was held instead at a house a couple miles away, at 1 Wireless Way—replete with Cadillac show cars parked on the lawn—and Ms. Scarlato said that town code enforcement officers visited that property as well and issued several summonses for various violations of town codes. Specific charges have yet to be filed.
County Road 39 Plan Complete
The Southampton Town Board and town planning staff will unveil the long-awaited land-use and development strategy study for the County Road 39 corridor at its work session on Thursday morning, August 21.
More than six years in the making—it was expected to be completed nearly a year ago—the study examines conditions along the roadway, and lays out goals and implementation strategies for the long-term revitalization and redevelopment of the town’s main commercial corridor.
In addition to a work session, at which there is not an opportunity for public comment, the Town Board has also scheduled the study for a public hearing on September 23.
The study’s completion has been seen as a critical component in the town’s consideration of several legislative considerations and development proposals, most notably the proposal for a King Kullen shopping center near the County Road 39 intersection with Magee Street.
Michael Wright on Aug 27, 2014