Letters

People purchasing property have the expectation that the Town of Southampton’s zoning laws protect the area’s scenic beauty and rural charm. These laws aren’t just promises, they’re commitments to preserving the character and identity of this cherished community.

When my wife and I bought our house in Water Mill almost 20 years ago, we paid a premium for the beautiful, unrestricted views and felt reassured that the property next door came encumbered with an easement whose purpose is to “protect the scenic, open space and rural character of the town and to protect the town’s resort and agricultural economy.” The easement required that any land not used for agricultural purposes must be left “open and fallow.”

When my next-door neighbor Joseph DiMenna purchased his property in 2010, it came with that easement and the promise of preservation within the protected agricultural district. Yet, over the years, he has allowed trees to grow unchecked and planted additional ones, transforming the landscape into an overgrown, unmanaged wooded area.

The consequences go beyond obstructed sight lines. The uncontrolled growth negatively impacts surrounding property values, attracts insects, and diminishes the aesthetic and financial value of the neighborhood.

This is not what the residents signed up for, nor is it the vision the town had in mind when it established the agricultural overlay district.

In 2018, the town determined that DiMenna’s unmanaged trees violated the easement and ordered removal. Yet, despite years of requests for enforcement, nothing was done. In November 2024, I filed a lawsuit to compel compliance with the easement.

Why should the public care? When zoning laws are ignored and easements go unenforced, the entire community suffers. The town’s failure to act sends a dangerous message — that rules designed to protect our environment and property are optional.

This lawsuit is about accountability: holding the town to its obligations and ensuring that everyone follows the same rules to protect Southampton’s unique identity. I am asking the court to enforce the easement as it was written and intended: to preserve open space, keep the community’s character and prevent zoning violations from setting a harmful precedent.

If this violation is allowed to stand, it threatens the fabric of what makes Southampton special.

This is about preserving Southampton’s scenic beauty, safeguarding its agricultural economy, and maintaining the property values that residents and taxpayers have invested in for decades.

Enforcement of the zoning laws benefits everyone, including tourism, property values, and ensuring that future generations continue to experience the rural charm of Southampton.

Please help by contacting Town Planning and Development Administrator Janice Scherer and demanding accountability to protect what makes Southampton unique.

Morgan Lawrence

Water Mill