WATCH: Developer, Board Trade Barbs Over Supermarket

Andrew Mendelson, a developer looking to bring a new supermarket to Westhampton Beach, was back before the Westhampton Beach Village Board last Thursday, asking the board to once again consider his petition to amend the village's zoning law to allow for a 40,000-square-foot supermarket on 4.2 acres that he owns on Old Riverhead Road.

As he has done countless times before, Mendelson asked the board to "get the ball rolling" pointing to a document he submitted to the board in March 2002 that asks the board to add the word, "grocery store" to the village's B-3 zoning district.

Mendelson's property is split between the village's B-3 and industrial districts and neither district allows for a supermarket.

Mendelson started his speech by asking board members if they feel that the only supermarket in the village, Waldbaums is adequate and if they shop there — referring to numerous resident complaints about the market.

• Related: What Our Readers Think: Meat at Waldbaums

However, Mendelson was met with criticism from Village Attorney Richard Haefeli, who argued that the board does not have to respond to his question.

Haefeli has told Mendelson in the past that adding a grocery store use to both the village's B-3 and industrial zones would require a master plan update, compete with an environmental study, which was completed during the village's last master plan update four years ago.

He also indicated that the board is not bound by law to do anything when a petition for a zone change is submitted.

Trustee Patricia DiBenedetto also responded to Mendelson, telling him that she has asked her fellow board members to examine the village's master plan and related zoning documents to determine if a change to allow for a supermarket is warranted.

Related Reading:

• Westhampton Beach Property Owner Looks For Support for New Supermarket
• Letter to the Editor: Village Board Should Hear Pros and Cons of Supermarket Proposal
• Fight For Westhampton Beach Supermarket To Hit Internet Talk Show
• Supermarket Developer Requests Zone Change
• Supermarket Developer: 'I Will Take My Fight to the People'
• Supermarket Developer Submits New Proposal To Westhampton Beach Village
• Supermarket Developer: 'Here We Go Again'
• Developer Looks For Public Support With Online Petition
• Developer Calls for Resignation of Westhampton Beach Trustee
• Supermarket Developer: 'Give the Public a Chance to Weigh In'
• Developer Won't Put the Breaks On Supermarket Project
• Westhampton Beach Village Not Rushing Supermarket Proposal
• Fight Over Westhampton Beach Supermarket Continues
• Mendelson: 'I Am Not Going Away'

Let Patch save you time. Get great local stories like this delivered right to your inbox or smartphone every day with our free newsletter. Simple, fast sign-up here.