PROPOSED NEW RULES COULD KILL YOUR PROPERTY VALUES… PLUS, IT’S TIME TO DINE OUTSIDE!

Oh, the drama! All that’s missing is Susan Lucci! East Hampton Town is buzzing with controversy over proposed zoning changes that could shake up property values and development norms. Picture this: the maximum size of swanky single-family homes might get sliced in half, and finished basements and attached garages could be counted in floor area calculations. But hold onto your hats, because this isn’t just about square footage—it’s about power struggles and neighborhood dynamics. While some are cheering for more modest homes and better community standards, others are fretting over the potential impact on property prices and the ability to expand. It’s a real-life soap opera playing out in town halls and public meetings, complete with builders, real estate agents, and lawyers duking it out over the future of East Hampton’s skyline. So grab your popcorn and settle in, because this brouhaha is far from over!

If you want more information about what’s going on and how it could impact you, come to my second Hamptons Homeowners Forum this coming Wednesday at LTV Studios in Wainscott at 6pm. Click here for more details and to reserve your space!

As the Hamptons unfurls its sun-soaked banners, signaling the arrival of the al fresco dining season, it’s like watching a grand theatrical production where the stars of the show aren’t just the chefs but also the seagulls eyeing your seafood platter. Bostwick’s on the Harbor has flung open its doors, beckoning patrons with promises of fresh seafood and sunset views. Rita Cantina in Springs is now ready to spice up your evenings with margaritas and tacos, while Duryea’s in Montauk tantalizes taste buds with the promise of lobster salads galore. But hold onto your sunhats, folks, for Duryea’s in Orient is joining the culinary extravaganza next Thursday, ensuring that no corner of the Hamptons is left untouched by the gastronomic frenzy. And as if that weren’t enough, Beacon in Sag Harbor is gearing up for a grand entrance on the 15th of May, adding another jewel to the crown of Hamptons sunset dining. Finally, with Moby’s set to open its doors on May 22nd, it’s clear that the Hamptons’ dining scene is not just heating up—it’s sizzling and a sign that bumper to bumper traffic is just a breath away.

An Über Bad Problem… Calling Der Kommissar!

One of my favorite apps in the world UBER is adding fuel to an already raging fire and has more than a few Hamptonite’s lederhosen in bunches!   They’ve offering rides between NYC and the east end through a helicopter site called Blade.    These “UBER CHOPPER” rides are a flat rate of $2500 for a five seat chopper ride.  This is just another reason the battle for quiet skies is getting louder on the East End.  New helicopter routes and flying patterns are making life a thunderous hell for thousands of residents at all hours of the day and night in the Hamptons.   In fact, according to sources complaints about air traffic noise have tripled in just one year alone!

 

That’s why you’re likely seeing some new bumper stickers around town declaring “HELICOPTERS SUCK – JUST SAY NO TO HTO.”     A quick tutorial now, HTO is the FAA code for East Hampton Airport.     Anyway, In my assessment and I’m no expert, it’s more than just a quality of life issue that has residents and officials concerned.   It’s also simple economics effecting the housing markets and tax base.   I know I hear the argument, the helicopters help create jobs.   But a few pilots from Teterboro or Rockaway are not exactly a boom to local business.   The bottom line is hundreds of residents are filing for tax reductions due to the constant thunder resulting in an alleged decrease of property values.    So wait, let me see if I get this right … a few pilot jobs in New Jersey versus a decreasing tax base here in the Hamptons?    Anyway, one way to help stop this register a complaint.   Go to the towns web site next time your house is being buzzed and you feel like you’re living through you’re own personal “Airport ’75.”   File a complaint here at the noise complaint website and have your voice heard (hopefully over the engine and blade noise).     

Activist against the airport noise are not trying to ban the traffic all together but rather limiting the hours of the facility.    Learn more from the Quiet Skies Coalition!    I mean really, LAX closes at 11 pm but East Hampton Airport stays open all night?!    A 24 Hour airport really?!   We don’t even have a shoe repair, doggie daycare, good Mexican restaurant but we’re the town that never sleeps according to the airport!   Besides everyone who saw Jaws 2 knows helicopters and beaches don’t mix!