Letters

How unfortunate that Tisha Collette chose to both attack the village for enforcing its publicized code and also throw in an ad hominem attack against the current mayor [“Double Standard,” Letters, January 25]. For the record, the code is the code, and enforcement, even if imperfect, is necessary and welcomed by most village businesses and residents.

I also doubt very much that the citation received by Ms. Collette is the result of any anti-business policy, or indeed any personal action whatsoever by the mayor. Bill Manger is not wreaking havoc on anything and likely has little or no involvement in code enforcement.

As all should know, the signage ordinances in Southampton Village were implemented decades ago in order to preserve the look and feel of the village, as requested by its residents. Due to limitations of resources or competency in previous administrations, enforcement has not always been consistent.

There are currently more than a dozen illegal signs, several illegal awnings and some unapproved lighting on buildings in the business district, and, taken together, they represent a degradation of the look and feel that residents have pushed the village to maintain.

Far from being scolded, the current mayor should be applauded for allowing the Police Department to increase its enforcement team and for letting them do their job.

If Ms. Collette or anyone believes the current signage code or approval process should change, they should make their proposal to the trustees for consideration. That’s how villages remain healthy.

What Ms. Collette omitted from her letter is that she did apply for a sign permit, her application was reviewed by the signage subcommittee, and the application was approved with black lettering. For whatever reason, a sign with gold lettering was installed in direct violation of that approval.

Far from being trivial or nitpicking, this was a substantial and obvious violation, which, if ignored, would have been unfair to all other businesses that respectfully follow the code.

Ms. Collette compares apples and oranges when she tries to juxtapose a potential violation under zoning code with a violation under the signage code, but the fact is that a violation is a violation. And while unpermitted construction is a serious offense, it’s not clear that it is any better to apply for a permit, utilize the time and resources of village officials and the public, and then ignore the permit one receives, as she did. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

I hope all residents support the wonderful businesses in our village, including Ms. Collette’s. But that relationship requires respect from both sides. Given some inconsistent enforcement in the past, I applaud the village for enforcing its code more uniformly and addressing the remaining unpermitted conditions in our downtown.

Rob Coburn

Southampton Village