Proposed code amendment targets contractors' offices

Proposed changes to the Westhampton Beach Village Code would allow general contractors to have administrative offices in the village’s downtown business district, as long as they conform to specific requirements.

A public hearing on the proposed amendments will be held during the next Village Board meeting, scheduled for next Thursday, February 5, at Village Hall on Mill Road.

A change made to the code in 2003 prohibits contractors from having offices of any type in the downtown business area, which includes Main Street, Moniebogue Lane, Mitchell Road, Sunset Avenue and Mill Road, explained Westhampton Beach Building Inspector Paul Houlihan.

Now, village officials want to amend the code so that the administrative offices of contractors would be permitted in the downtown business area. The requirements state that general contractors cannot keep trucks or vans longer than 20 feet, or heavier than 8,000 pounds, parked near their administrative offices if they fall in the downtown business district.

Essentially, the proposed restriction would prohibit contractors from parking anything larger than a pick-up truck at their offices, Mr. Houlihan said. Construction equipment, such as tools, materials and oversized vehicles, also could not be stored on-site, Mr. Houlihan said.

Likewise, contractors would not be able to utilize their offices in the downtown business district to pick up laborers or tradesmen and bring them to job sites, the proposed amendment states.

Contractors are currently not subject to such restrictions as long as their offices are located in the village’s B-2 district, a zone that runs along County Road 31 to the village boundary, and along Montauk Highway, Mr. Houlihan explained.

The proposed code states that the offices can be used only for accounting and bookkeeping, executive and clerical tasks, record storage, and for meeting with customers or clients.

Another portion of the code relating to Westhampton Beach’s hamlet/commercial residential district, a zone that falls between the village’s business and residential areas, will also be amended.

Specifically, the village wants to change that section of the code to permit the construction of single-family homes that are larger than 3,000 square feet without forcing the property owner to meet conditions for providing affordable housing or applying for a variance. Currently, as the code is written, homes that are larger than 3,000 square feet also have to offer affordable housing and conform with other requirements that are intended for multi-family housing complexes, such as condominiums, Mr. Houlihan said.

That proposed amendment will also be discussed during the meeting on February 5.