A public hearing was held on December 4th to hear plans to convert an existing 1,000-square-foot Carvel ice cream retail store at 2033 Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton into a non-medical cannabis dispensary and associated parking on the 30,000 square foot parcel. The site is just south of the Bridgehampton Commons shopping center. The proposed pot dispensary would be called Budhampton.
According to the town planning board, the Town of Southampton opted into the New York State cannabis law, meaning that cannabis can be sold in the town.
The meeting was a pre-submission conference and no licenses or plans were presented at the meeting for review. No approvals were made at the meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to get a feel from the community on the proposal, according to planning board officials.
A representative for the applicant spoke at the December 4th Town of Southampton planning board meeting. The applicant provides more than required parking with 20 parking spaces with 2 ADA compliant spaces. The cannabis facility is also not within 500 feet of a school or community facility on the same road, as required.
A number of people came to the public meeting to speak out against the application.
Peter Fader, treasurer of the Bridgehampton Civic voiced his strong opposition.
“This proposal should never have seen the light of day,” he said.
Another speaker called it “the most senseless and absurd application I have ever seen come before the town board.”
Another speaker with Save Bridgehampton Main Street asked if the applicant qualifies for a pot dispensary license according to New York State law. She said the group opposes the plan, “absolutely.”
One of the issues many of the people who opposed the application was that the site serves as a gateway to the hamlet of Bridgehampton and does not present a good look for the community.
One resident said he was born and raised in the area and has a cultivation license in Water Mill where he grows cannabis. He came to the public hearing to talk about the medical benefits of cannabis, saying he wanted to be able to sell it. He supported the applicant.
Another resident said he wanted to see the town to be progressive and move forward with the dispensary. He was born and raised in Southampton.
“Being part of the youth I would like to see the Town of Southampton be progressive,” he said. “It is being regulated. We should have it regulated instead of having someone buy it off the street.”