The Sag Harbor Village Board held a hearing Tuesday night on legislation that would change the fee for holding events on village property and require that people planning events at commercial, residential, or public properties submit requests 60 days in advance of the event as opposed to the 30 days now required.
Additionally, it would lower the threshold for events requiring permits from those with 75 people in attendance to those with 50 people.
The village board and the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce have been working together on the proposed changes. “This is a local law to substitute an assembly law with a special event law,” said Elizabeth Vail, village attorney.
As of now the amended law would institute a flat fee of $1,000 to hold an event on village property such as Long Wharf or Steinbeck Park.
“I’m not 100 percent aligned with the idea of having a single price for all the various locations in the village,” said Aidan Corish, a trustee. His concern was focused on the idea of a flat fee for locations of different sizes. “You should pay for the space you use,” he said. “You’re either overpaying or you’re underpaying.”
“I would say you’re underpaying for everything,” Deputy Mayor Ed Haye responded. “None of those fees covers the costs the village incurs for those events.”
Mayor Thomas Gardella wondered why the village is creating more fees in the first place. “Is it because of a problem?” he asked. “Are we trying to solve a problem? What are we trying to achieve?”
“We’re not necessarily increasing fees,” Mr. Haye said, “we haven’t been enforcing the existing fees.”
Mr. Haye, along with Trustees Corish and Jeanne Kane, attended a meeting with members of the chamber of commerce Monday evening to provide an overview of the work so far, as well as to collect feedback from the local businesses.
The board expects the chamber of commerce to provide official comments before the next village board meeting in February.
During the public hearing, Ellen Dioguardi, president of the chamber of commerce, relayed a few comments on behalf of the chamber. She also clarified that her comments were without the full consensus of the chamber, which “had not put together anything formally” for the meeting.
She said the chamber at large was “surprised” by the potential change and indicated that if it were to go into place in its current form “the increase could mean the chamber having to rethink some events.” One example she brought up was the Halloween Ragamuffin parade that would cost $2,000 under this amendment due to the use of both Main Street and the lawn of the Customs House.
The goals of most chamber events, she said, are to bring business to members as well as net the chamber money to keep the organization running. “And here is the second part,” Ms. Dioguardi said, “to offer Sag Harbor Village those events and experiences which many have expressed and feel make Sag Harbor the unique, special, and charming place it is.”
“Sag Harbor Village has lost some of its longest running businesses recently, and the concern that more will have to close is a valid concern,” she continued, adding later that “the diverse mix of businesses, many of them small, owner-operated establishments, is really one of the things that has made Sag Harbor stand out from East Hampton, Southampton, Bridgehampton, etc.”
At the second public comment section near the end of the meeting Marilyn Holstein, vice president of the chamber, suggested segmenting fees per property, rather than having one blanket fee.
The board elected to adjourn the hearing to its February meeting. It hopes to receive more feedback while it continues to craft the new fee structure.
