Montauk C.A.C. Debates Nixing Events on Montauk Green
While the Three B’s played classic rock for a crowd at the village green in downtown Montauk on Monday night, the Montauk Citizens Advisory Committee debated whether to recommend to East Hampton Town officials that public events be relocated away from the green.
A subcommittee convened to tackle transportation, traffic, parking, and lighting had produced a report that suggested, among other ideas, moving all events, including the farmers market, from the green to Lions Field to relieve traffic congestion in center of town. However, quite a few committee members objected to the idea and to a suggestion that events be limited to before Memorial Day and after Labor Day.
Paul Monte, president of the Montauk Chamber of Commerce, predicted events on the green, and the farmers market in particular, would not get the same kind of attendance if they were moved. The farmers market generates thousands of dollars in donations to the Montauk Food Pantry, which could be jeopardized if the market were less profitable.
“We have tried it in the past and have seen traffic drop off 60 to 70 percent when we have held events over at Lions Field versus the green in the middle of town,” he said. “To consider making any type of major change to what’s currently going on with those events would be detrimental to the community, and I think everybody should take a second look at it, because even if it involves a minor inconvenience regarding parking or an extra minute of traffic downtown, the overall community is benefiting.”
Laraine Creegan of the Montauk Chamber of Commerce said she thought vendors would begin pulling out of the farmers market if it were to be relocated to Lions Field. Parking there is also difficult because of the number of people turning out for classes at SoulCycle at the former Montauk Movie, she said.
Terry Coppola weighed in on the side of caution. “It’s very hectic” around the green, she said. “Above the profit, above the charities’ needs, is the safety of the people. They are in danger.”
Gail Simons agreed with her. “When we sat down with the Police Department, they explained it from the safety point of view,” she said. “We’re not saying to move everything from the center away, but there are certain events such as the farmers market where there’s so much in-and-out flux, whereas with a concert people come, sit, and pretty much stay. With the farmers market it becomes a nightmare for the Police Department.”
The citizens committee ultimately voted to remove the recommendation from the report, with 18 in favor of the deletion, 15 against, and 4 abstaining.
The committee also discussed at length another subcommittee’s report on businesses that fall under pre-existing, nonconforming zoning rules within the hamlet of Montauk, but tabled its approval. The subcommittee reports, which also covered topics such as affordable and seasonal housing and coastal erosion, will be submitted for consideration in East Hampton Town’s Montauk hamlet study process. Community-based workshops are planned in Montauk in September, as they were in other hamlets earlier this year.